Your comments and tips

14 Aug 08, Addy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Is now the right time to germinate rosella seeds? I thought to start some seeds in punnets and to plant the seedlings into a sunny spot later. I grew 3 from bought seedlings early this year and havested enough to make 1 bottle of jam. They were skinny little bushes, not like the pictures of bushes I've seen on the internet! How do you get them to have heaps of branches? Tip off the main stem? Any advice wouldbe much appreciated!

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08 Aug 08, Zenon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I grow a large plantation of approx 900 plants. If you are organic - Utilise pyrithrum for mites that may attack the stems. If you have drainage issues the root rot is cause by Needmatodes in the soil. It is very important not to re-plant a rosella straight away in the same location. Make sure your beds are well rested to rebuild core nutrients and particularly nitrogen for a good return harvest. While bed resting make sure you toss the soil for subsoil airation as well. @ 2 months they do appreciate a slight scatter of dynamic lifter and if you can source it prior to flowering worm castings - an incredibly rich furtiliser that makes up 1litre per 1 gram. I have been supplying the flower in syrup for years which is most commonly used in either drinks or served over ice cream and have recently made Rosella vinegar. Another hint is to make it into a sauce for pork - Devine taste!!! For any enquiries please email myself: zenon.kowalczyk (at) gmail.com

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23 Jul 08, (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Could anybody advice me where can I buy rosalla leaves in Australia. I live in sydney. Thax

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18 Jul 08, Renate (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

After a lovely harverst, I cut down the plant and a few of them look like as if they are dying. How do I look after them after flowering and seeding as this is my first year. Comment for jam making, you do not have to boil the seedpods, there is enough pectin in the fleshy part to set and it is a cleaner taste. I have been making jam for years.

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11 Jul 08, Noelle (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My mother's recipe (recipe 80 years old, and now mine) -always boil the seed pods up separately. Strain through fine muslin and add liquid to the red pods and sugar. No lemon is used, as it changes the real rosella flavour.

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11 Jun 08, Chris (Unknown climate)

Lyn, if the rosella seeds contain pectin, then it's a useful tip. I've always used lemon and orange pips like this in marmalade.

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06 Jun 08, Lyn (Unknown climate)

Re Anne's tip - I have always boiled up the seeds and used that liquid to pour over the fruit leaves as the seeds contain the pectin to make the jam set better - is this a myth that I have followed faithfully for decades????

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14 May 08, Alana (Unknown climate)

I have a Rosella plant that has taken quite a hit from something that has eaten all it's leaves off. I am very new at gardening I'm not sure what I should do - as we eat the fruits I am hesitant to use chemicals and there doesnt seem to be any grubs. Any ideas? Also, we are finding the water excreted from our worm farm is LOVED by our Rosella bush, whenever we put some on it, more flowers are generated. Thanks

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26 Apr 08, Anne (Unknown climate)

Pick rosella when as long as your thumbs first digit. Rinse, cut small slice off base, place thumbs between half way section of calyx and peel back separating seed case from fruit. Place in heavy base pot, water to cover (less is more), simmer until fruit breaks down. Add lemon juice, tblspn per cup of jam, add sugar approx 1/4 cup to cup of jam (the sweetness you like) and bring to rolling boil. always stirring, never allow to stick. When syrupy, coating back of spoon thickly, take of heat, cool slightly and jar. Put jars in oven at approx 110 degrees for 5-10 mins prior to jam pour to sterilize.

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04 Apr 08, Jacky (Unknown climate)

There's a great article about growing and using the rosella fruit in ABC's Organic Gardener Spring 2005.

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