There is much anticipation in the garden during the months preceding winter. Your crossing was completed by the 4th of July and you have tended to your roses all summer long. By now your rose hips should be ripe. The crosses that you made on to some of the hardy shrubs or species may have already been ripe a month ago. Harvest them now if they have been ripe on the bush for quite a while.

Some of your late crosses still may not be ripe. Hips require a long ripening period. They should be ripe in approximately 16-20 weeks after pollination. Rose hips often change color as they ripen. You may see your hips change colors to red, orange, yellow, red-brown, scarlet, black, deep purple or salmon pink. Sometimes your hips will never change color. They'll just stay green, just like a 'Granny Smith' apple! So don't be disappointed! Plan on harvesting your hips soon. I recommend harvesting the hips before the frosts arrive to your garden. If you have some crosses that are especially valuable to you that have not ripened yet, follow this advice. Remove the hips from the bush with a 3-4" stem and insert these stems in moist oasis or potting soil. Place these hips in a sunny or bright location. Water only when necessary to keep the medium moist. The hips will ripen and change color in a few weeks to a month.

Most members of our group have found this method to be very successful:

1. Shell the hips and remove the hard, honey seeds.

2. Wash the seeds in water. Remove all parts of the fleshy hip from the seed.

3. Soak the seeds (keep them labeled!) in distilled or very pure water. The seeds should remain in the water for 1-2 days.

4. Drain and remove the seeds and place the clean seed in a small zip lock type bag with 2 tablespoons of moist perlite. There should not be any free water in the bottom of the bag. If there is - drain it out. Label the bag with a permanent black marker. Include the date, the cross, approximately the number of seeds, etc. Place these bags in a shoe box or something similar in size and type.

5. Leave the seeds undisturbed at room temperature in their bags for approximately 6 weeks. Check the seeds for sprouting. Add a small amount of water if the perlite looks dry.

6. Next place the box of seeds in the refrigerator for 6 weeks at about 40F. The lower shelf in your home refrigerator works well. Varying the temperature can really cause the seeds to sprout quickly. But don't put them in the freezer!

7. Weekly check the bags in the refrigerator. Some crosses will sprout earlier than others. The parents and species that you chose to use have a profound affect on the germination rate. Make notes on which ones seem to give you good germination and which ones don't.

8. If any of the seeds sprout, remove them carefully from the bag and place them in small pot (2" diameter) of well drained petting soil (peat/perlite 1:1). Place the small pot into a clear plastic bag or sealed clear plastic shoe box. Keep the container under light, but out of direct sunlight for at least 1 week. Gradually wean the plants to room conditions.

9. Sow the seeds from the plastic bags after 6 weeks have expired in the refrigerator. A 2" deep tray with drain hales is great. Use a sterile potting soil (peat/perlite 1:1). Add no fertilizer. Keep the rows labeled with the cross. Rows 1.5" apart and plant the seed about 1/2"deep.

Good luck and good roses!