How to grow Roselle

How to grow Roselle from seed to harvest. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based sub shrub, growing to 2–2.5 m tall. The plant has many culinary and medicinal uses. It is an ideal crop to grow in your garden.

The flowers are white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base of each petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base which is bright red and enlarges as the fruit matures. They take about six months to mature. The species is hermaphrodite and is pollinated by Insects.

Growing Roselle from Seed

• To grow hibiscus from seed you must first nick or sand the Roselle Seeds to get moisture into the seeds in order to improve the germination rate.
• In temperate zones, start hibiscus in pots at the same time as you would tomatoes.
• When seedlings are 3″ – 4″ high, transplant them to a sunny spot in the garden.

Maintaining Roselle Plants

• Hibiscus grows well in soil with a high level of organic matter, but too much nitrogen will delay flowering.
• Keep plants evenly moist & well-weeded until they are 1 1/2′ – 2′ high.
• Once this height is reached, mulch the plants to keep weeds at bay for the rest of the season.
• Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil.
• Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
• It cannot grow in the shade.
• It prefers moist soil.

Harvesting Roselle

Pick young calyxes by hand when still tender or use garden clippers once stems have gotten tough. Pick approx 10 days after flowers open at the beginning or the end of the day. Harvesting the calyxes early promotes greater yields. Around 6 weeks, the young edible leaves & shoots can be picked.

Fresh calyxes are typically dried or dehydrated prior to storage. You can keep them fresh in the fridge for 4 – 7 days. Leaves & stem tips can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.