How to grow and make rosella jam

[Mark]

This thread is linked to the article from our sister site Self Sufficient Me about growing rosella and making the jam from its calyxes (fruit).

Feel free to discuss any points here, make any suggestions, or ask questions.

Cheers

 

[Katrina]

Hi thanks for a great article. Last year I grew some rosella plants and made fabulous jam. However this year all my plants have caulaxes that are red and green striped. Do you have any suggestions on why this is. Do you know of anything I can add to the soil to redden them up? Thanks Katrina

 

[ClissAT]

Could they be in need of more direct sun light?
Are the bushes thick with leaves?
Sometimes the red colour develops in response to larger amounts of sunlight.
Your plant looks super healthy.

 

[Katrina]

Thanks for your reply. The plants are stupidly healthy just striped calayxes. I think I might cut some off and cook them up see if they change colour.

 

[ClissAT]

That extra green colouration might simply be an excess of nitrogen.

 

[Mark]

They might develop a consistent red as they develop... from the pic they look immature to me?

 

[Mark Seaton]

I watched your video on Rosella and got all inspired and bought some seeds, being in a colder area, I raised the seedlings early in a greenhouse and ended planting 2 plants that grew beautifully, however they are so slow, that by the time they started to "fruit" the cold had set in. I got some flowers to form but unfortunately, I think the plant is done!
This poor plant has seen it all, we had 2 storms prior to the cold, the first one flattened one of the plants, then the second storm did the other one in, then the cold finished it off!

 

[ClissAT]

Mark, prune it right back, throw a heap of hay mulch over the stump and it should reshoot in late spring after it's had a good bit of sun on it. Pull the mulch off once the last frost has gone to let the sun in to warm the soil.
Rosellas should live about 3yrs. They aren't an annual or 3mth wonder.
It takes several months to get from flower bud to ripe fruit.
Buying an established plant from a nursery would have saved you a heap of time.
How much sun does that site get during the average day?
It needs pretty much full sun.

 

[Mark Seaton]

It doesn't get full sun, as it is near the fence so gets pretty much mid morning on, but I did that as I read that they wanted warmth, so I was hoping the heat transfer off the fence would help.
I will prune it back and see how it goes. It is pretty frustrating as it was full of flower buds and several had just started opening.

 

[DivingTemptress]

being in a colder area, I raised the seedlings early in a greenhouse and ended planting 2 plants that grew beautifully, however they are so slow, that by the time they started to "fruit" the cold had set in. I got some flowers to form but unfortunately, I think the plant is done!
This poor plant has seen it all, we had 2 storms prior to the cold, the first one flattened one of the plants, then the second storm did the other one in, then the cold finished it off!

Hi Mark,
My roselle is definitely an annual ... It starts VERY slow, but by summer in going full steam. I gave away all my extras this year and had 1 plant that grew to be over 10 feet tall !! Oh and they have all needed support as they get taller or have uprooted in wind and stormy weather without a good anchor. As soon as the plant feels autumn coming, it begins to blossom and as soon as temps go below 40 deg f it is done, no matter how I have tried to extend its life. I just keep enough seeds to start over in the springtime.

Hope this helps, Happy Gardening !
P J, the Dirt Diva

 

[HelenCate]

I used this recipe this year and it was amazing! So much easier than the recipes that have you separate the calyx from the seedpod and cook separately. ?