The hips don’t lie. LOL Maybe in this case they do, because we are not really talking about actual hips. I don’t usually cover growing or planting flowers on this blog, but today we may have to make an exception. Just like when I showed you how to grow giant sunflowers, I will be sharing some information on how to grow rose hips, the fruit from roses.
So you are probably wondering which rose species produce the best hips. Well most gardeners will recommend the Rugosa and others may recommend tea roses. Rose hips can be used in baking, jam making, herbal tea making, herbal medicines, infused vinegar as well as wine making. When it comes to health benefits they contain vitamin C as well as antioxidants, which are essential for fighting and preventing many common diseases such as cancer. They also have anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and pain-relieving properties.
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Here’s What You’ll Need:
- rose seeds
- compost
- large container
- netting (optional)
- clippers
For there to be rose hips, you must first plant roses. If you choose a hardy rose species like Rugosa, your life will be made a whole lot easier. Using containers to grow your roses is plausible, but preferably you want to grow them outdoors as their roots tend to demand a lot of space. Needless to say, they are still easy to grow and do not require fertilizer or too much watering.
They are also pretty resistant to diseases and pests, you just have to keep an eye out for birds around harvest time and stem canker. Speaking of harvest time, it has been suggested that you target after the first frost. Pick rose hips that are red in color, leaving the orange or the deep red ones on the plant. The hips will have to be split open to remove the seeds, dried and then preserved by storing them in your fridge or freezer.
You can get more information on the New Life On A Homestead blog, here…
You can watch the video below on Quick Tips: How to Grow & Use Rose Hips…
You can watch the video below on Rose Hips — How to identify, harvest, and eat…
You can watch the video below on How to Plant Rose Hip Seeds…
