An American Rose Society Affiliated Organization

Organized April 21, 1947

March's Newsletter

March 10, 2001

March Meeting Announcement

The next meeting of the Raleigh Rose Society will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2002, at 7:00 PM at Fairview Greenhouses & Garden Center on Holly Springs Road in Raleigh.

Meeting Agenda includes:

Ø Update on Junior Rosarians

Ø Update on 2002 Rose Show

Ø 20 Minute Q & A - Ask your Consulting Rosarians

Ø March Program - What do you do in the spring after pruning those roses? Witherspoon Rose Culture will be on hand to give us a presentation on Growing Roses in the Spring.

Please join us as we share with each other and learn more about the Queen of Flowers.

Letter from the President

By Richard Radic

President, Raleigh Rose Society

One of the many functions of any rose society is to educate its members and the public the art of growing roses. One of the best ways in which we have pursued this is through our monthly meetings. These meetings include informational programs on various aspects of the rose; also they allow us to converse informally about practices that work for us, and those that don’t. I would like to direct my point in two directions; One, to the newer members to entice them to attend some of our meetings and two, to our long time members to also join our meetings and share their experience with our national flower the rose.

Another way to educate our members and the public is providing the annual rose show, which will be held this year on May 18^th. Exhibitors from the area come to show some of their best roses. So a rose show is a good place to see how well a rose can be grown in the area. If you would like to learn how your roses are really doing, it is a good idea to put them in a rose show and see how well they can do.

I would like to encourage all members to show at least one rose in the rose show this year. Showing your roses will also give you a chance to talk with other rose growers to get new ideas of how your roses can be improved. Exhibitors love to talk about such things and are very open about sharing their information. But always keep in mind that roses do differently in different areas, and the things that work in their garden may or may not work in your own. In time you will find what works for you.

I hope to see you all at the next meeting,

Rich

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

- Abraham Lincoln

From the Rose Dictionary

Mycorrhiza - from the Greek words for fungus and root and refers to the association between plant roots and fungi.

Hybrid - A rose with parents, which are genetically distinct. The parent plants may be different cultivars, varieties or species.

Cultivars - Short for cultivated variety - is a variety that originated in cultivation and not in the wild. All modern varieties are cultivars but the more common term 'variety' is used to describe them.

Sport - The offspring of a parent plant that is produced naturally by gene mutation and differs from the parent in enough characteristics to be recognized as a distinct variety.

Ever blooming - a plant that blooms constantly all season.

Request for Rose Show Award Sponsors

It's that time of year again. As you know we are busily planning our annual rose show and will be contacting our members to sponsor the various awards.

Last year we began a new tradition by awarding specially designed trophies and rosettes as prizes to the winners at our show. If you wish to sponsor an award, you may drop off a check, in the amount of your choosing, made payable to the Raleigh Rose Society, at the next meeting or mail your check to Terry Ellis, 6404 Dry Fork Lane, Raleigh, N.C. 27617.

Many folks will sponsor an award in memory of a loved one who has passed away or in honor of a special person in their lives. This makes the award more meaningful to the sponsor. If you would like to have your award listed in memory or in honor of someone, please be sure to let us know to ensure that it's printed in the Rose Show program.

Sponsorship donation deadline is April 1^st in order to get your information printed in the show schedule.

Please contact Terry Ellis at 676-0561 if you are interested in sponsoring an award.

When to Start Fertilizing

For established bushes you can start fertilizing right after you prune by incorporating organics into the soil. As the spring sunshine warms the soil the organics will begin to break down and provide slow release nutrient-rich diet to your rose bushes. A good basic recipe would include, per bush:

v 1 cup bone meal or super phosphate (0-20-0)

v 1 cup cottonseed meal

v 1/2 cup blood meal

v 1/2 cup fish meal

v 1/2 cup Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate)

Spread the mixture evenly around the drip-line of the bush. Scratch lightly into the top 1 to 2 inches of soil and water well. Reapply in August for fall blooming.

There are many variations of rose fertilizers in your home and garden store. Most of them have a good balance of nutrients and can be used on your garden. Select one and follow the package instructions for applying through the growing season.

Water is an important factor and helps to get the nutrients into the plant. Be sure your roses get the equivalent of 1 to 2 inches of rain per week. To test your system (soaker hose, sprinkler, drip, etc.) place a one-inch deep tuna can where it will catch the water as it is dripping on your bushes and time how long it takes to fill the can. This will be the time you need to run the water to receive the optimum results

Gardening Tips for March - April

March -

Ø After pruning and leaves start to appear, begin your fertilizer program and apply organics.

Ø Start your spraying schedule for disease and insect control.

Ø Plant new rose bushes when they arrive.

Ø Watch the weather carefully and protect bushes if a freeze is expected. Cover bushes overnight if possible. Remove cover just before sunrise.

April –

Ø Continue fertilizer program

Ø Continue spraying routine; apply Diazinon for rose midge problems

Ø Water as needed. Roses require 2 inches of water per week

Ø Start applying liquid fertilizer. Clean up the rose beds.

Ø Watch for insects and treat as needed.

Personal Protection from Sprays

Whether you are preparing your spray material or in the process of spraying your roses, it is important that you take the proper precautions to protect yourself from the chemicals you are using. And don't be fooled by the words organic or natural. These materials can be harmful as well.

When spraying, be sure to wear a long sleeved shirt, long trousers, socks and shoes, rubber gloves, a wide-brim hat, glasses or goggles, and a facemask. Also, be sure that all spray material has a label on it.

Always follow the instructions for the spray material you have chosen to use. Don’t spray when the wind is blowing so that the spray would come back into your face or toward your body.

When finished spraying, clean out all tools and sprayers used. Wash all clothing worn while spraying separately from other laundry. Take a full shower, washing your hair and body thoroughly