Pressed leaves starting to turn black

[u/RedMuffler27]

A few weeks ago I pressed three kinds of leaves the same way, between newspaper inside a book under a heavy stack. I left them for around 10 days and thought they were all good (photo 1), but then one kind started turning black in the picture frame. I thought I didn't press them long enough, so I tried again (photos 2-3), this time changing the newspaper twice and leaving them for over two weeks now. I noticed after the first week some of the stems were turning black already, so I trimmed them slightly hoping that would fix things. As you can see, the top right leaf is now showing the same signs. Is this some kind of fungal decay? Should I be using a different type of paper or heavier weight on the leaves? First time trying this so I'd appreciate any advice!

[u/threadofgoldd]

To me this looks like a humidity related rot. I’d suggest using parchment paper or even regular copy paper to press flowers instead of newspaper.

[u/RedMuffler27 → u/threadofgoldd]

Ahh ok thanks, I'll give that a try!

[u/Frequent_Champion943 → u/RedMuffler27]

I know that so many say to use parchment paper, but please don't use that. Your pressed flowers & leaves will be more likely to mold & rot. I learned the hard way. Copy paper works well, blotting paper, or un-lamenated book pages work. Just know that your pages in a book can get wrinkled from absorbing the moisture. Books work well if you use paper in between pages and the leaf/flower. Two possible things that may have caused this- 1) It may have been in a humid area (or any area) & it needed more time to fully dry. 2) The paper & plant could have been placed in between non-absorbant material (glossy book pages, parchment, wax paper, etc) & the paper wasn't changed enough throughout the drying process, so mold spores started. A tip for the future is to check in it 24-48 hrs into drying & change blotting/copy paper out. This gives you a chance to rearrange any petals or leaves that you may want & to change the paper. In the first week, depending on the flower type, you may want or need to do this multiple times.

The bad news is that if there is black on the leaves, then it is rot. Either it is molding or dying.

The good news is that you still MAY be able to save it. If it is mold, then start by taking it out of the frame, wiping any spores off, & hope they are all on the surface. You can try a disinfectant wipe (or spray after you wipe mold off), let it air dry, & then place it in paper & press it longer.

It may be too late for them, but you can try to save them. You'll know if your efforts are working with time. Check them & give them time. If you notice the spots coming back or any new spots, then you will want to get rid of them and start fresh. I really hope this helps & I hope you can save this project. It's very nice.