When do you do it and how do you dry it? I want to make tea from them. I have the first crop of rose hips looking very yellow and pink and I want to harvest before the birds take them, but I don't want to do it too soon. Any suggestions or websites that can help?
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” - Micah 6:8
I just wait until they are plump and red and pick them into a big flat basket and let them air dry and put them in a jar for winter...LOVE them! I have a huge wild rose bush..well a big bunch of them together now...and they are just covered with them in late August. I haven't had a big problem with birds bothering them...they are too busy eating the boyenberries!!
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” - Micah 6:8
oooo...Thanks Elaine, that site was very helpful! I never know where to go for foraging stuff. I always think that it's so not mainstream thinking and I won't find it on regular websites. :)
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” - Micah 6:8
Sarah~ I never knew that it was rugosa roses that I had in my backyard. You don't know it but you have set my feet on the path of rose hip harvesting! I think I am going to take oanna's advice and cover them with cheesecloth so the birds won't get at them. I have also started thinking about planting a line of rose bushes in my front yard. This is really interesting!
~ Elaine Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
i've waited until after the first light frost to harvest as it supposedly makes them sweeter. then i dry them for tea or make jelly. jelly is time and labor intensive but it's beautiful stuff and tastes like roses!
I have grown a few roses, and it seems like the rugosas set the nicest hips. They are also mostly care-free plants. I have never tried harvesting the hips for our own use; I always left them for the birds.
Rose Hip Harvesting
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 7:10:14 PM
