Anybody Grow Roselle?

[Ken B]

Hm, I'll guess too much nitrogen from the MiracleGro? The container plant looks a lot more stretched out than I'm used to roselle being!

We've never had roselle get big enough here to consider pruning it (5-6' tall is usually as tall as it gets here before Oct. frost), but I know folks will prune back okra plants to keep them shorter, and they're both in the same family, so, worth a try?

The plants look nice! Do you already have calyxes?

[GoDawgs]

Originally Posted by Ken B

Hm, I'll guess too much nitrogen from the MiracleGro? The container plant looks a lot more stretched out than I'm used to roselle being!

I'd guess that too. However I just got done moseying around the internet for an hour trying to find the right time to pick the calyxes and other handy info and saw a photo that looks like the container plant and others that look like the ones in the ground. Go figure.

Originally Posted by Ken B

We've never had roselle get big enough here to consider pruning it (5-6' tall is usually as tall as it gets here before Oct. frost), but I know folks will prune back okra plants to keep them shorter, and they're both in the same family, so, worth a try?

I think I will cut back the container plant, probably down to where it bushes out. What I've read is that they are day length dependent and start producing "fruit" as the days shorten but mine are already making nice calyxes. Also two harvests per season.

Originally Posted by Ken B

The plants look nice! Do you already have calyxes?

Thanks! Not bad for a first try. Yes, I have calyxes, about 15 on the container plant and some on the others. Nice fat ones. And the whips on the container plant are setting buds about every 2"! So with that in mind, maybe I won't prune. Just let both types of plants do their own thing this first year to see the full cycle and then putter with them next time.



Seems like the thinking is to snip them off an average three weeks after the bloom drops while they are still fat and juicy. I've also copied off some jam and juice recipes.

This is probably the most all-around informative link I found on Roselle. From a guy in Brisbane, Australia.


https://gardendrum.com/2016/07/12/ja...using-rosella/