The Fall 2023 Rhodiola rosea harvest is in! Dirty and gorgeous, the telltale golden yellow of fresh Rhodiola rosea roots shines through the soil that it was buried in only days ago. The dusty pink buds are set for next year’s shoots, and random dried stems from this growing season remain firmly attached.
Thank you, Growers!
We are so thankful for our growers and the amazing work they are doing. This year was the exception to the rule for planning and digging roots. Here in Alberta, we had a super narrow window of good weather, and the growers worked hard to dig what they could. Hats off to the growers and their endurance in the face of an early start to winter. Now the fields lay covered in snow, and the forecast is for more.
Caught off guard
Growers were caught off guard as the call for harvest gave them little more than a week before the ground froze and the temperatures dropped from +20 C to -19 C (68 F to -2 F) in one day. It’s hard to say welcome to Old Man Winter when there are roots still in the field that should have been dug.
Are you wondering why we didn’t call harvest sooner, if the long-range forecast was for an early winter? It may come down to the quirks of how this amazing plant grows and survives in our harsh northern climate. As the plant senesces and prepares for winter, there is a period of time when the levels of the beneficial compounds, called rosavins, drop. The levels are unacceptable for our customers, and we must wait until the plant is completely dormant before the rosavins return to saleable levels.
Next year may be different
So why not harvest in July before the plant goes dormant? That will take some convincing, but this year’s early winter may cause us growers to prioritize our summers differently. We’ll see what happens, and thankfully the Rhodiola will sleep now to live another season.
If you’d like to know more about growing Rhodiola rosea, we’d love to support you in your efforts. Our website holds a Knowledge Base for new and seasoned growers, and we’re only a phone call away with tips and 1-on-1 advice.
FYI – For interested growers, this is a typical 6-year-old Rhodiola rosea root from this particular field and area of Alberta. Not all growers will attain the same quality of root. Some will do better and others will not do quite so well. Much depends on crop management practices, climate, soil, and precipitation.
The field that this plant grew in is located in the transition zone between the black prairie soils and the grey-wooded foothills soils of Alberta. The soil is rich in nutrients, and annual precipitation is between 10 and 15 inches. Winters are harsh and summers are to die for. The Rhodiola rosea loves it here.
