How And Why To Harvest Rose Hips For The Winter? Collection And Drying Of Fruits, Preparation Of Tea. Photo

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How And Why To Harvest Rose Hips For The Winter? Collection And Drying Of Fruits, Preparation Of Tea. Photo
How And Why To Harvest Rose Hips For The Winter? Collection And Drying Of Fruits, Preparation Of Tea. Photo

Video: How And Why To Harvest Rose Hips For The Winter? Collection And Drying Of Fruits, Preparation Of Tea. Photo

Video: How And Why To Harvest Rose Hips For The Winter? Collection And Drying Of Fruits, Preparation Of Tea. Photo
Video: All About Rosehips // harvesting & preparing for syrup & tea 2024, March
Anonim

Rosehip is an unpretentious close relative of the rose. It grows well in the wild, and its terry species is often found as an ornamental plant in parks or private gardens. Recently, the plant has become more and more popular among gardeners due to its rich vitamin and mineral composition. In this article I will talk about the benefits of rose hips, how to collect, dry, store and brew tea correctly.

How and why to harvest rose hips for the winter?
How and why to harvest rose hips for the winter?

Content:

  • About the cult of rose hips in the Balkans
  • About the benefits of rose hips
  • How I harvest and harvest rose hips
  • How I make rosehip tea and infusion

About the cult of rose hips in the Balkans

The wild rose is native to eastern countries and Asia. However, in the Balkans, it became very widespread. For example, I live in Serbia. And I can say that there is a cult of rose hips. Jam is made from it at home, homemade wine is made, it is dried so that you can drink tea all year round. At the same time, they specially go somewhere in the forest in order to collect the wild rosehip.

In shops in Serbia and other countries of the Balkan region, you can buy rosehip tea, wine, liqueur, jam, marmalade, baked goods stuffed with rosehip. Wild rose hips, along with "cultivated" berries, can be bought on the market. And in the restaurant you will be served rosehip tea. And in addition to the wild, there are also whole plantations of rose hips grown for food, medical and cosmetic purposes.

About the benefits of rose hips

Both cultivated and wild rosehips are useful. This shrub can grow up to 3.5 meters tall and has fragrant, pleasant flowers and a very thorny stem. Rosehip blooms from June to July, and the fruits ripen in September. In total, there are about 400 species of rose hips. First of all, it is valuable for its medicinal properties.

Rose hips contain a large amount of vitamins C, A, E, B. In addition, calcium, iron, flavonoids, pectin, selenium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium. This composition, of course, makes it a very useful product.

Rosehip, in addition to its rich vitamin and mineral composition, also has anti-inflammatory properties, strengthens the immune system. Therefore, rosehip tea is used for colds, weakness, fatigue, as a tonic for anemia.

Vitamin E lowers cholesterol levels and is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting the cardiovascular system from disease. The elements constituting the rosehip are involved in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, thereby preventing the development of diabetes mellitus.

Rosehip is a natural diuretic and has a mild laxative effect. It is widely used in cosmetology as a skin tonic and cell regenerating agent, perfectly moisturizes it. It is also beneficial for the skin to drink rosehip tea due to its high content of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Rose hips are useful for improving digestion. And in traditional medicine, in the old days, rosehip flower petals were collected, which were dried and brewed in the spring, when the body was sorely lacking vitamin C.

Ancient healers believed in the healing properties of wild rose so much that they even treated kidney stones with it. It was believed that the rosehip infusion (with prolonged use) will turn stones into sand and they will safely leave the body. And by brewing rose hips with mint, you can get rid of insomnia.

Due to the high content of vitamins, rose hips improve the condition of the hair. To do this, you can either drink tea, or rinse your hair with rosehip infusion. Rosehip seed oil is no less useful, it is used in cosmetology, for the manufacture of creams, shampoos and other products. Rosehip seed oil restores cell membranes and gives skin elasticity. And rose hips contain up to 47% of these valuable seeds.

Well-dried rose hips should be firm, slightly wrinkled, shiny
Well-dried rose hips should be firm, slightly wrinkled, shiny

How I harvest and harvest rose hips

Before the first frosts hit, and the fruits darken, losing their properties, I go to collect rose hips. This usually happens sooner or later, but in September. I always wear gloves when collecting so as not to injure my hands on the thorns. Collecting rose hips is quite difficult because of the thorns, it clings to literally everything. You need to be patient!

Harvested fruits, as they say in the books recommended to hold a few hours in the sun to keep the natural beautiful color, provyalit and then dosushit in the oven at +40 about With or in special kilns.

However, I dry by simply leaving it on the veranda on a tray lined with paper. I put it in one layer. I do not expose in the sun beforehand, because when I pick the fruits, they are already a little withered.

So the rose hips dry on the veranda for several days. The main thing is that the weather is dry and sunny. Well-dried fruits should be firm, slightly wrinkled, shiny, odorless.

Then I put the fruits in a paper bag or cardboard box. I have them in my closet all winter long. Do not put dried rose hips in metal boxes, otherwise it will oxidize, change color and taste.

Collecting rose hips is quite difficult because of the thorns, it clings to literally everything
Collecting rose hips is quite difficult because of the thorns, it clings to literally everything

How I make rosehip tea and infusion

When I need to make rosehip tea, I do the following. I take 1 tablespoon of dried fruits, grind them. I cut with scissors. The wild rose that I collect is wild, oblong, so it can be easily cut with scissors.

Then I pour 200 ml of boiling water and let it stand for half an hour, wrapping it up (I have a can) in something warm. You can use a thermos. This tea can be taken 1 cup twice a day before meals (in everything you need to know when to stop). In case of a cold, you can add a spoonful of honey to this tea.

It is best to brew fresh tea every time. You also need to know that if you boil rose hips, then vitamin C is destroyed in it. For the same reason, you cannot brew tea in aluminum dishes, while the fruits change their color and lose vitamins.

In addition to rosehips, tea can be brewed from rosehip flower petals and young shoots (in season). All parts of the plant contain nutrients. You can make a blended tea from rose hips and mint, for example, or lavender.

And you can cook rosehip infusion in oil. To do this, pour 40 g of crushed fruits with 120 ml of oil (you can even sunflower oil) and put the jar in the sun, on a window, for example, or in another warm place (on a battery), where it will stand for a couple of weeks (and in the case of a battery, even less). Then strain the oil and refrigerate. They can be used to wipe, moisturize the skin, or use it to make face masks.

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