Go Back
A decorative arrangement featuring dried leaves, assorted gourds, small orange fruits, dried citrus slices, and sprigs of greenery.
Print Save
Yield: 1 bundle

How to preserve leaves with gylcerine

Keep fall leaves soft, bendable, and full of color for the whole season by soaking them in a simple glycerin and water solution. Loose leaves are ready in under a week in a shallow dish, and whole branches finish in a jar in a few weeks. Use the preserved foliage on the table, the mantel, a wreath, or in a vase, then pack it away to reuse next year.
Total Time4 days 10 minutes
Cost15

Materials

  • Vegetable glycerin buy the large bottle
  • Warm water
  • Measuring cup
  • Shallow baking dish or pie plate plus a second one to nest on top
  • Tall heavy jar or vase (for branches)
  • Pruners
  • Hammer
  • Paper towels
  • Fresh fall leaves or cut branches

Instructions

  • Gather leaves that are freshly turned and still flexible, or branches cut the same day. Discard anything spotted, torn, or already dry.
  • Wipe each leaf clean and blot it dry with a paper towel.
  • Mix 1/2 cup glycerin with 1 cup warm water and stir until the glycerin dissolves completely.
  • Arrange the leaves in a shallow dish in loose layers so the liquid can reach every surface.
  • Pour the solution over the leaves until they are fully submerged, then nest a second dish or a few clay pots on top to keep them under the surface.
  • Place the dish out of direct sunlight and leave it for 3 to 6 days, checking on day 3. Leaves are done when they bend easily without creasing.
  • Remove the leaves, lay them on paper towels, and pat away any excess solution. Let them rest overnight before using.
  • For branches, cut stems about 18 inches long, strip the lower 6 inches of leaves, and crush or split the cut end with a hammer or pruners.
  • Mix 1 part glycerin with 3 parts hot water and pour about 3 inches into a heavy jar.
  • Stand the branches in the jar, keep it in a warm spot out of the sun, and top up the solution as it drops. Allow 2 to 6 weeks; thick leaves like magnolia take the longest.
  • When the leaves feel smooth and have changed color to the tips, remove the branches, wipe the stems, and let them air out in an empty vase for a few days before arranging.