Most rose hips will turn color, red, yellow or orange, when they are ripe but not all of them do. It takes about 90 to 120 days for a hip to ripen to maturity. If you know it's been about that long then go ahead and harvest them.

Thanks for the answer

Or, if it isn't turning color, because some will never change and others require specific weather patterns to color up, gently bend the hip's stem to see if it easily releases where it would normally fall off. If it does, it's probably ready. If it doesn't, isn't colored and you don't know how long it's been since it was pollinated, it may not be. If you are talking about something "wild", such as a species rose or some once flowering Old Garden Rose and it's been at least three months since they flowered, it's likely ready. Kim

I was wondering the same thing. Some of my albas are sporting the prettiest red hips, and I would like to grow some seeds. Do I need to plant seeds right away? I was planning to winter sow them. I start WSing around Dec. 21.

Hi Roseseek
Thanks for the useful answer.

I have just collected seeds from my climbing rose and planted them in soil. Should it be kept dark or sunny while they germinate and how long does it take them to sprout?

I have just collected seeds from my climbing rose and planted them in soil. Should it be kept dark or sunny while they germinate and how long does it take them to sprout?