When and how to properly collect rose hips for drying for the winter

Optimal time to collect rose hips

To correctly determine the optimal time to collect rose hips, you need to focus on external signs. The fruits are considered well ripened when the sepals move away from them and do not fit tightly. The rosehip itself has a bright red or bright orange color. If the fruits

• too dense
• very pale
• sepals fit tightly to them,

- It’s too early to collect. Overripe rose hips darken and become soft. It contains more sugars but less vitamin C.

Rosehip harvesting is usually carried out from the end of August to the end of October . In central Russia, as a rule, fruits are collected and stored in the second half of September, in the Urals - from the second ten days of October until November, in the Rostov and more southern regions - from the end of August to the first half of September, so that they do not become overripe and fall off . But these are average recommendations. The timing of collection also depends on the variety of shrubs, weather conditions and other factors.

I collect rose hips every year. I live in central Russia, so I can’t pick fruits before the second ten days of September. I always focus on external signs. The rosehip should ripen well, but not overripe. Soft and crumbling berries are more difficult to pick, and they are less useful.

How to understand that rose hips are ripe. Harvesting berries: when to pick rose hips?

When to collect rose hips? The folk calendar says that the optimal collection time begins on October 1 - the day of Arina Rosepovnitsa. However, this calendar date does not always correspond to the most successful time. A lot depends on the geographical zone of growth, the stage of development of the rose hips, weather, climatic conditions and even the microclimate of a particular area. Therefore, to answer the question of when to collect rose hips, you need to start from the conditions of a particular region. In some places and latitudes, berries begin to be harvested somewhere at the end of summer.

When to collect rose hips

The largest amount of useful substances in fruits is found during the ripening period. Berries are collected from late summer and throughout autumn. As already mentioned, much depends on the climatic conditions of the area. However, there are nuances here. You should also pay attention to the variety of rose hips. The ripening time may vary among different subspecies. The later the harvest time, the less vitamins remain in the fruits, and the amount of sugars increases.

Signs of maturation

When should you collect rose hips? As a rule, by the end of August the fruits become orange or bright red. This is one of the signs that they are ripe. The highest content of vitamins will be in hard and large fruits with protruding sepals. If the latter adhere tightly to the berry, this means that the fruits have not yet fully ripened. Rose hips are collected together with calyxes and stalks. They are removed only after drying. This is how rose hips retain more vitamins.

Environmental Safety

Where and when can you collect rose hips? You need to understand that only bushes of plants growing in clean areas are suitable for collection and subsequent use. It is best to harvest fruits in the forest, away from the joys of civilization. Sometimes the question of when to collect rose hips seems not so important compared to the question of where not to do it. Berries growing near highways, chemical industry enterprises and other hazardous industries will not bring any benefit, but only harm. It doesn't really matter what they look like. Health is more valuable. The fruits of almost any plant tend to accumulate toxins from the environment.

Drying

After picking, the berries must be dried, otherwise they will lose their beneficial properties or deteriorate. It is better to do this in a ventilated room, spreading the fruits on paper. Rose hips can also be dried in the oven. Berries are stored in airtight containers. Before drying, the crop must be sorted and illiquid fruits must be thrown out. There is no need to wash them. You can dry the fruits whole or cut them in half. It should be understood that the faster the berries are dried, the less vitamins and other useful substances will be lost. Preheat the oven to +40 °C and leave the baking sheet with berries for about an hour. Then the temperature is raised to +60 °C and dried for another 8-9 hours.

There is another way. First, the rosehip must be kept for 10 minutes at a temperature of +100 °C, and then the temperature must be reduced to +70 °C. In order for the fruits to dry efficiently, constant air circulation is necessary. To do this, you need to turn on convection in the oven. If it is not provided, you can simply open the door slightly.

How to collect fruits

It is better to choose a dry and sunny day to collect rose hips. The fruits are collected together with the stalks and sepals, which are easily separated after drying . To avoid injuring your hands, the collection is carried out with gloves. For harvesting for the winter, it is better to choose dense rose hips, discarding soft specimens. Fruits with signs of rot, as well as damaged or blackened ones, should not be picked.

Rose hips should be collected using thick gloves.

The place of collection is also of great importance. Rose hips can only be picked from bushes located away from roads, landfills, and industrial enterprises.

Where to collect rose hips?

The place where the plant is collected is of great importance. If you want to prepare a medicinal crop yourself, the question arises: is it possible to collect rose hips in the city? It is prohibited to harvest plant materials within city limits, near major highways and railways. The best gathering places are: forests, bushes, steppe slopes, river floodplains. Only well-known plant species should be harvested. Scientists have found that inconspicuous, wild rose hips, which are not subject to selection, contain more substances beneficial to health.

Methods for harvesting rose hips for the winter

Rose hips can be prepared in several ways.

Air drying, oven drying, using an electric dryer

The simplest is natural drying. The fruits should be laid out in one layer on newspapers or film previously laid on a flat surface. Before drying, rose hips are not washed if the fruits are clean and collected in an environmentally friendly area. You can dry rose hips outdoors under a canopy, if the weather permits. But it is better to place it in the attic or in a warm room with good ventilation. Under natural conditions, the fruits dry out in about 2–3 weeks. The rosehip becomes fragile, and this is the main sign indicating that it is time to put it away for storage.

Thermal drying allows you to make the product in just 2-3 days. The rose hips are laid out on baking sheets and dried in the oven at a temperature of +50 degrees. The oven door must be left ajar for better evaporation of moisture. Every 6–8 hours, it is important to turn off the oven for 2–3 hours and stir the fruits on the baking sheet .

It is very convenient to use special household dryers. The fruits are laid out on pallets and the temperature is set from +40 to +50 degrees. In an electric dryer, rose hips dry in 1 day thanks to the fan. However, during these days, the trays need to be swapped for uniform drying, sometimes turned off and placed so that the berries cool and release moisture. This is especially true if your dryer does not have a temperature control.

After drying, rose hips darken and become brittle

Freezing

To preserve rose hips for the winter, you can freeze them. The fruits are laid out in portioned bags and placed in the freezer. You can first free the rose hips from the sepals, remove the seeds and chop them, then put them in bags and freeze. This will save space in the freezer. At a temperature of -18 degrees, rosehip retains its beneficial properties for 12 months .

How to dry rose hips

Prepared berries are dried immediately, otherwise they will become moldy and rot. But before starting this process, you need to know all the details, otherwise nothing will work.

How to prepare rose hips at home depends on what you use to dry it. Possible options:

• electric or gas oven, including convection;
• electric dryer;
• bake;
• in room.

Berries are also dried in attics, where there is good ventilation, but the first method is the most preferable.

Berries are not dried in the sun. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, useful substances are destroyed, the product becomes useless.

In the oven

Drying berries in the oven will not be a problem if you set the appropriate temperature, determine the drying time correctly, and know when the fruits are ready. It is important not to overdry, but you should not leave them half-baked.

The most important parameter that affects the quality of the fruit is the drying temperature of the rose hips. It should be within 50-70 ˚С for a gas oven, 40-60 ˚С for an electric oven, no more than 40 ˚С for an electric oven with convection.

In an electric oven, the air is drier, so the berries dry out faster. You need to be as careful as possible with a convection oven. When the temperature is exceeded, the berries burst and all the juice flows out.

Everything is clear with the temperature regime, now let's talk about time. Drying rose hips in the oven takes 4-8 hours. The duration of this process depends on the type of oven. For a gas oven, 6-8 hours are enough, for an electric oven – 4-5 hours.

Tips on how to dry rose hips:

• the oven is never preheated;
• dry in baking mode to heat the top and bottom;
• for drying, cover the baking sheet with parchment paper, do not lubricate it with anything;
• the berries must be dry, otherwise they will start to burn;
• The baking sheet is placed exactly in the center;
• the berries are distributed evenly, in a thin ball; they must not come into contact with each other, otherwise they will begin to stick together and release juice;
• the temperature is gradually increased, not immediately set to the maximum, for example, when using an electric oven, first set at 40 ˚C, and then in 4 hours brought to 60 ˚C;
• the doors are left slightly open, literally 5 cm;
• The raw material is constantly stirred so that it does not burn and dries evenly.

Drying takes a lot of time, but as a result you can get an incredibly useful product for strengthening the immune system in the autumn-winter period.

How to determine readiness

During drying, you need to focus not only on time, but also on the appearance of the fruit, since they can be ready, for example, not in eight, but in seven hours. There is no point in keeping them in the oven for another hour, otherwise we will end up with apricots and not delicious dried rose hips.

The following signs indicate readiness:

• do not stick together;
• wrinkle;
• the inside is a little soft, there is moisture;
• have a natural taste and smell;
• practically do not change color, acquire a honey tint, become slightly transparent, and should not be dark brown or black.

To determine whether the berries are ready or not, you can taste them. When biting, no juice is released, but the moisture does not completely evaporate, there is pulp, and you can feel the sourness.

If the fruits have darkened, it means they are overdried. The beneficial properties remain at the same level, but the taste is noticeably inferior.

How to dry rose hips in an electric dryer

The process is simplified if the house has an electric dryer. Step-by-step instructions on how to dry rose hips at home:

1. Place the prepared berries into the container of an electric dryer. One layer is enough, the fruits are evenly distributed over the entire surface.
2. Set the temperature within 50-70 ˚С. Each brand of device has its own temperature regime. Drying begins at maximum temperatures, and after 2-3 hours they move to minimum temperatures. Thanks to this, the moisture will evaporate faster and the peel will harden. There is a lower risk that the berry will crack and juice will spill out.

The drying process takes from 8 to 14 hours. The time depends on the selected temperature mode and the power of the electric dryer. The lower the temperature, the longer the drying.

If you select the maximum temperature setting in an electric dryer, you can dry the rose hips in 6-8 hours, but some of the beneficial substances will be destroyed.

How do you know when it’s time to turn off the device? The berries change color a little, acquire a honey hue, they can be broken into two parts, they are crispy, but do not crumble in your hands. If they begin to darken and turn brown, then the time has been exceeded.

In natural conditions

This is a labor-intensive process lasting 2-4 weeks. But the fruits are the most healthy and delicious. Let's look at how to dry rose hips for the winter without any equipment.

Important factors:

• good ventilation;
• low level of air humidity, less than 60%;
• lack of direct sunlight (balcony or window sill are not suitable).

The washed and dried fruits are spread in a thin layer on newspaper, cardboard or a sheet of plywood, and mixed daily. After a month, they are transferred to a cardboard box for storage for 5-7 days to remove the remaining moisture.

How to store dried rose hips

Dried fruits can be placed in tin or glass jars. There is no need to cover them with lids. It is better to cover the necks with gauze. It is very important that good air circulation is ensured. Rose hips are perfectly stored in wooden or cardboard boxes or fabric bags.

I always store rose hips in cardboard boxes. I line the bottom with wax paper and sprinkle dried fruits on top. I cover the top with gauze and place it in a dry, dark place. The attic is great for these purposes. I do not recommend storing rose hips in the light or near heat sources. This causes it to deteriorate greatly, and the content of vitamins in it decreases.

If you organize the storage of rose hips correctly, it retains its healing properties for 2 years, and then gradually its benefits begin to decline. Rose hips cannot be stored for more than 3 years.

Benefits and uses of fruits

Rosehip is incredibly useful. It is used to improve immunity and to prevent colds. Fruits are best brewed when:

• gynecological and urological diseases;
• neurasthenia;
• bronchial asthma;
• anemia and exhaustion.

You can make decoctions, infusions, jelly, and fruit drinks from rose hips. It is added to tea. Before preparing any drink, the fruits must be washed well.

Rosehip is simply an indispensable product for my family in the winter. I infuse it in a thermos or add it to compotes. I take about 100 g of fruit for 1 liter of water. It turns out not only healthy, but also very tasty.

Rose hips begin to be collected for drying for the winter from the end of August and end in mid-October. Harvesting time depends on the variety, region of growth and other factors. After this, the fruits can be dried or frozen in order to prepare vitamin infusions and compotes from them until next summer.

Time to collect fruits in the middle zone, Moscow region and other regions of Russia

The largest amount of useful substances is concentrated in fruits. In terms of vitamin C content, rose hips have no competitors - even in lemon and black currant this figure is much lower.

Rose hips are harvested during their full ripening, when the plant has accumulated the maximum amount of vitamins . The berry-like rose hips ripen at different times depending on the type and variety of plant, geographic region of growth and weather conditions.

Rosehip bush with fruits

In central Russia, the Moscow region and Ukraine, the collection period is at the end of August and lasts until October . Ripe berries are easy to identify - they are bright orange or red in color and firm to the touch. When the fruits ripen, they do not fall off the bushes and remain on the branches in winter, but it is better not to delay harvesting until frost.

To prepare healing raw materials for the winter, choose a sunny, dry day. Usually hard fruits with stalks and sepals are removed , which are easily removed after drying. You should not collect damaged berries that show signs of rot and blackness.

Drying methods at home

Before you start drying, you need to carefully review the harvest again and remove limp or spoiled fruits, as well as leaves and other debris that got into the basket during harvesting. Rose hips are not washed before drying - the dust is removed from them immediately before brewing. Drying is carried out in two ways:

Natural drying or cold method

The simplest method, which requires a well-ventilated dark room without access to sunlight - this could be an attic or a barn. The collected fruits are scattered in a thin layer on any horizontal surface, placing cardboard, plywood, clean burlap, a mesh tray and other available means.

Drying rose hips naturally

The berries are stirred from time to time so that they do not cake or become moldy. Drying is continued until the rose hips become dry and hard. Natural drying is preferable - this method preserves the maximum amount of nutrients in the berries.

Heat treatment or hot method

The use of heat treatment at home is more suitable for urban residents who do not have the opportunity to dry rose hips naturally. The fruits are placed on a baking sheet in one layer and placed in the oven, setting the temperature to 40-60°C .
The berries take a long time to dry – several hours. There should be an outflow of moisture evaporating from the berries from the oven, so keep the oven slightly open. If your oven has a convection function, you need to turn it on when drying rose hips. The berries are stirred periodically to prevent them from burning.

Beneficial features

The thing is that rosehip is a unique multivitamin plant.
At the same time, in dried form, the content of useful substances in wild rose fruits remains unchanged. Moreover, after drying, the concentration of vitamins and microelements increases! Chemical composition of dried rose hips (per 100 g)

Vitamins

Micro- and macroelements

In addition, dried wild rose fruits contain pectins, pigments, tannins, malic and citric acid.

Calorie content of 100 g of dried berries is 284 kcal.

How to store dried berries

The finished rose hips are rubbed in your hands so that the dry stalks and sepals fall off. Then they are laid out in glass or tin containers , tied with cotton cloth or double-layer gauze so that the berries “breathe” and do not become moldy.

For storage, cardboard boxes are also used, which are pre-lined with waxed paper. It is convenient to store rose hips in fabric or paper bags - they allow enough air to pass through to protect the berries from spoilage.

Dried rose hips in a basket

Containers and bags with berries are placed in a dark place without access to sunlight, which is detrimental to the vitamins and nutrients contained in the berries. During storage, it is necessary to exclude the proximity of dry fruits to fresh vegetables and fruits , odorous substances and heating devices.

Dried rose hips can be stored for up to two years without reducing their healing qualities.

Rosehip storage options

Bank storage is the most common method.

Rose hips prepared for the winter must be stored properly, otherwise they will lose their beneficial properties. The first step is to remove the remaining stalks. To do this, simply rub the berries lightly between your fingers without violating their integrity. You can store the dried product in glass or tin jars with lids or cloth bags. Do not tightly close the lids of the jars, as in a tightly sealed container the fruits may “suffocate” and spoil.

If you don’t have special boxes and jars on hand, it is recommended to use any glass container, and instead of a lid, use regular gauze folded in four layers. It is better to store the workpiece in a dark, cool room, avoiding high humidity.

The container for rose hips is usually small, so that about 100 grams of product can fit in it. Properly dried berries will keep well for a long period, usually about three years. Occasionally they need to be checked and spoiled fruits removed.

If mold appears in the jar with the preparation, you should not risk it; it is better to throw away all the berries together. Most likely, something went wrong during the drying process and several berries were not dried completely. Next time, just watch the drying process more carefully, and then you will always have a useful product at your fingertips, even in winter.

So, in order to prepare tasty and healthy rose hips for the winter, you need to choose one of the methods of drying the fruits of the plant. What it will be depends only on the preferences of the housewife herself. An important point - do not rush, the drying process should be measured and gradual.

How to brew rosehip correctly

In cooking, a lot of dishes and drinks are prepared with the addition of rose hips : jelly, compote, fruit drink, preserves, jam, jelly, marmalade. Each of them has healing properties, helping the body replenish its supply of vitamins and microelements and strengthen the immune system.

Rosehip jam

Syrups, infusions, decoctions, extracts and even alcohol and vodka tinctures are prepared from rose hips. The healing spectrum of the miracle plant is not limited to colds, it is recommended to take it for :

• anemia and general exhaustion;
• diseases of female organs;
• problems with the digestive organs, intestines, liver;
• urological diseases;
• atherosclerosis;
• neurasthenia;
• bleeding and slowly healing wounds;
• poorly healing fractures;
• arthritis;
• bronchial asthma and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Before preparing medicinal drinks, the dried berries are washed, dried and crushed in any convenient way - cut with a knife, passed through a meat grinder, crushed with a pestle. You can brew whole berries, but it is believed that this way less nutrients will get into the drink or dish.

In a water bath

A drink prepared in a water bath is used to strengthen the immune system. To cook rose hips, place 2 tbsp in a small saucepan or ladle. l crushed berries and pour 2 glasses of hot water (70-80°C) . The ladle is placed in a water bath - a larger diameter pan with slightly boiling water. The drink is kept in a water bath for 15-20 minutes, then removed, cooled and infused for 24 hours.

Rose hip decoction

The fastest way to get a pleasant drink with a sour taste is to make a decoction of rose hips. To do this, take a handful of berries, pour 1-1.5 liters of boiling water and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Boiling extracts the maximum amount of coloring and flavor components from the berries, resulting in a rich “tea.” However, there is no need to talk about the benefits of such a drink, because prolonged exposure to high temperatures destroys the vitamins and nutrients that make up the berries.

In a thermos

The most effective way to brew rosehip is infusion in a thermos . At the same time, all vitamins are preserved, and the color and taste of the drink is as rich as possible.

Rosehip infusion in a thermos

To brew rose hips in a thermos, just take 3-4 tbsp. l chopped berries, pour into a thermos and pour 1 liter of boiling water . Close the thermos and leave for several hours. It is most convenient to brew the berries overnight, then in the morning you will have a tasty and healthy drink on the table.

Alcohol tincture

It is useful to take an alcoholic tincture of rose hips to prevent atherosclerosis and strengthen the immune system. To prepare, a glass of dry berries is washed and lightly steamed. The prepared fruits are placed in a liter jar or bottle with a wide neck, 150-200 g of sugar are added and 0.5 liters of vodka are poured in . Cover the container with a lid and leave for 25-30 days in a dark place, shaking it occasionally.

The finished “medicine” is filtered and taken 15-25 drops per day on a piece of refined sugar or diluted with 1/3 glass of water or tea.
To soften the taste, additional ingredients are added to the classic tincture recipe: apples, citrus fruits, mint, bay leaves, rowan berries, cranberries and even ground coffee.

Dried rose hips: brew in a thermos

For brewing, you should select high-quality berries of a red-brown or orange hue. Do not use overdried or wet fruits.

To prepare the decoction in a thermos use:

• 2 tablespoons of dried rose hips;
• 2 tablespoons sugar;
• 500 ml boiling water.

Before brewing, the fruits are washed and crushed. The chopped parts are placed in a thermos and sugar is added. You should not pour boiling water into the thermos; it is better to cool the liquid to +80…+90 degrees.

Water is poured into the container and allowed to brew for 1 hour.

Dried rose hips: brew in a thermos

It is recommended to brew the same berries no more than once. Most of the beneficial substances are released during the first brew.

How long to store dried rosehip infusion

Sometimes the volume of finished infusion is too large. In this case, the remainder is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 1-1.5 days.

After this period, mold will form in the liquid and harmful microorganisms will develop. It is better to pour out the spoiled infusion.

You can store the finished broth in the fresh air for no more than 12 hours, as the rate of spoilage outside the refrigerator increases. In addition, harmful substances from the environment can get into the infusion.

It is recommended to drink the decoction immediately after brewing.

Indications for use

Tinctures and decoctions of rose hips are recommended for people suffering from:

• cold;
• sinusitis;
• nervous disorders;
• indigestion;
• liver dysfunction.

Rosehip decoction improves metabolism and helps with weight loss. People with immunodeficiency will also benefit from drinking it: the drink contains a large amount of vitamins.

Contraindications

The use of rose hips is contraindicated for people:

• with gastritis;
• during lactation;
• those suffering from thrombophlebitis;
• with high blood pressure.

It is not recommended to use rose hips for dental disease: ascorbic acid can contribute to the destruction of enamel.

If you drink the decoction for a long time, there is a risk of headaches and digestive disorders.

It is not recommended to give the decoction to children under 10 years of age without consulting a pediatrician.

How to drink rosehip correctly

To decide how to take a rosehip drink correctly, you need to know for what purposes it is recommended, because the dose and duration of drinking depends on this :

• for a tonic effect - every morning 20 minutes before meals;
• as a choleretic agent - three times a day, 1/3 cup 30 minutes before meals;
• for colds and flu - warm in the evening 10 minutes before bedtime.

Decoctions and infusions of rose hips are allowed to be drunk by pregnant women and nursing mothers , as well as children suffering from frequent colds. The volume of the drink can be 1.5 liters per day .

Courses of treatment last from 2-3 weeks to 2 months . If necessary, after a short break, rosehip intake is resumed.

Rose hips: when to collect fruits and how to dry them to preserve vitamins as much as possible?

Today I went to the next department to get documents, and the girls were sitting and having tea. Having appreciated my pitiful appearance, and since Mondays I’ve been walking around snorting and coughing, Olya, a colleague, offered me “miraculous tea.” This is her expression, word for word. A very pleasant-tasting drink with a subtle aroma that has nothing in common with ordinary black tea, of course, interested me. I guessed one of the components right away – fireweed, but I couldn’t recognize the “second part” of the tea leaves. But everything turned out to be simple – rose hips! And how could I not remember him?

Rosehip is a plant of the Rosaceae family, a small shrub that blooms with beautiful “roses”. The fruits of rose hips resemble berries; when ripe they are bright orange or red. Rosehip is valued for its beneficial properties and is recommended for use against a number of diseases: especially during colds or viral respiratory infections. In addition to helping with feverish conditions, rosehip strengthens the immune system, treats nervous disorders, and normalizes digestion. Rose hips are prescribed as one of the components of therapy for sinusitis and inflammation of the oral cavity.

Rose hips are a super champion in vitamin C content. There is much more of it in rose hips than in lemons or black currants. This is, in fact, why experts in traditional medicine fell in love with it, and also because these fruits can strengthen the immune system or improve physical and mental endurance. B vitamins are “responsible” for a strong psyche, which are also abundant in rose hips. And of particular value in this sense are those varieties of rose hips that grow in abundance in central Russia and higher, closer to the north.

Rosehips themselves are not tasty. Today I specially tasted one “berry”, thoroughly chewing the fruit in my mouth - otherwise, maybe my childhood memories are deceiving me? Nothing like it, it tastes like styrofoam. But, diving my nose into the bag of rose hips, I felt a pleasant tart aroma, subtle and refined. And this is despite my long-suffering olfactory organ, which at the present time almost does not distinguish smells. Olga poured me a handful of rose hips from a bag, ordering me to brew it in a thermos - overnight this brew would turn into a wonderful infusion.

And there it will be possible to collect rose hips yourself - fortunately, finding them will not be difficult.

When to collect rose hips?

At least when. If you see that the fruits have plumped up and acquired a bright color - red or orange, then you can already collect them. In the regions of Central Russia , this can be done from the end of August to the beginning of October.

But in general it is believed that “late” rose hips, collected in the fall, are more useful. Collect rose hips carefully - the plant has thorns.