If it wasn't for rose hips, then this blog wouldn't exist ! The main thing with rose hips is to make sure that they ripen sufficiently, and then to let them chill for a while (stratification). I let my rose blooms of June and July set hips and let the hips ripen on the bush until the end of November. Here in the Willamette valley, the cold nights of November provide the necessary chilling period. Then, I harvest the hips in early December. Even though my rose bed is now full, I still maintain the tradition and give away the hips to interested "valley people".
This year, I selected only one rose bush for growing hips. It's the largest 'Queen Elizabeth' rose bush in my garden, and it's been growing in the back yard since early 2007. It was store-bought, and was an inexpensive bare-root bagged rose. Below are photos of the rose bush in full bloom, and the same plant later in the year bearing hips soon to be harvested --
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'Queen Elizabeth' rose
Photo taken: June 12, 2012 |
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Same rose bush
Photo taken: November 25, 2012 |
