Rosehip is an unique plant whose fruits have a truly invaluable healing properties. However, how do we dry rose hips so that we can use them to make healing teas during winter?
Rose hips are harvested in the period of September until the first frosts fall. Only pick fruits with orange-red color, which are solid and good looking.
Unripe and very overripe fruit should not be harvested because they do not have the necessary qualities. After picking the rose hips, what follows is drying them. First leave them for 24 hours at 10°C. When drying the rose hips at home, it is best naturally dry them.
Go through the rose hips for damaged fruit as well as for leaves and twigs. Cut them in two and clean them from the seeds. Spread them into layers and leave them in dry and airy rooms. Stir them from time to time and after a few days they should be ready. Store them in boxes or bags in rooms with moderate temperature.
However, if you decide, you can dry the rose hips thermally. Preheat the oven to 40-50°C, put the rose hips in a baking pan and increase the temperature slightly. The oven door is opened often and the fruit are stirred periodically. You will know when the rose hips are dried well. When pressed, they break apart. Store them in well closed glass jars.
Have a look at:
- How to make a rosehip marmalade;
- How to make rosehip water;
- What is rosehip flour good for;
