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Storing and Using Rose Hips
By Brenda Hyde
Allow the roses to die naturally on the bush and rose hips will form.
They will start out green and turn to yellow, then red. Harvest them
when they become completely red, after a frost. They should be soft
but not mushy. Break the stems off as you pick them.
Spread the hips out and allow them to partially dry, where you can
still remove the seeds, but they are no longer pulpy inside. When
the skins begin to feel shriveled, you need to separate the seeds
from the fruit. Cut the hip in half and scrape away the seeds. You
may want to use something such as a chopstick or other blunt
ended tool to help do this. After removing the seeds, allow the
hips to dry completely before storing. Keep them in small, sealed
plastic bags. They will keep indefinitely in the freezer or for
several months in the refrigerator.
Rose Hip Tea:
Crush 1 cup of dried rose hips and place into a covered container.
Add one tsp. to 1 cup of boiling water. Brew for 3-5 minutes.
Sweeten as desired.
You can also use 3-4 fresh rose hips that have been chopped.
Add the boiling water and brew as usual. Some people like a
very strong tea-you can brew up to 30 minutes and reheat
the tea if necessary before sweetening.
Rose Hip Eye Treatment
Steep a cup of strong rose hip tea. You can make the
tea with your own with rose hips or use store-bought.
Do make sure it's strong. Soak 2 cotton balls in the tea or
use 2 tea bags, lie down and place over your eyes.
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Spread the hips out and allow them to partially dry, where you can
still remove the seeds, but they are no longer pulpy inside. When
the skins begin to feel shriveled, you need to separate the seeds
from the fruit. Cut the hip in half and scrape away the seeds. You
may want to use something such as a chopstick or other blunt
ended tool to help do this. After removing the seeds, allow the
hips to dry completely before storing. Keep them in small, sealed
plastic bags. They will keep indefinitely in the freezer or for
several months in the refrigerator.
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing