Raleigh Rose Society

An American Rose Society Affiliated Organization 

Organized April 21, 1947

April's Newsletter

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 April 15, 2001

April Meeting Announcement

The next meeting of the Raleigh Rose Society will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2002, at 7:00 PM at Fairview Greenhouses & Garden Center on Holly Springs Road in Raleigh.

 Meeting Agenda includes:

Ø      Update on the Home Depot Seminars

Ø      Update on Junior Rosarians

Ø      Update on 2002 Rose Show

Ø      Sign-up for Rose Show Activities

Ø      20 Minute Q & A - Ask your Consulting Rosarians

Ø     April Program  - Exhibition vs. Garden Varieties.  Our Raleigh Rose Society members who exhibit roses will explain the difference between good exhibition rose and a rose that make good general garden varieties. More information on exhibiting roses will be shared in preparation for the May rose show. 

 

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
 

Recently I’ve been given a list of roses recommended for our area but I hesitate in placing it on our website.  The main reason being it only shows those roses grown by one of the major rose growers and some of the varieties listed are not rated very well as found in the ARS Handbook of Roses.

I’ve been wanting to place on our website such a list, however I need your help. I would like all members of the society to consider which roses do best in their own gardens and submit to me a their own recommendations. In addition to roses that do well please list the roses that do not perform. You can list as many roses as you like, only those roses reported which are grown by two or more members, and which perform well will be listed along with a separate list of non-performers.

Along with the list please include some comments on their habits, disease resistance, fragrance, etc. I will be looking to classify them as Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, Old Garden Roses, Modern Shrubs, Climbers, Miniatures and recent Newcomers (Roses introduced in the last 5 years). I will be collecting this information through August and plan on introducing it at our September meeting. So bring your list to the next meeting or you can send it to me by mail or e-mail.

Also, next time while surfing the net, consider visiting the ARS website and respond to the Triennial Survey and make your recommendations on the roses listed..

Rich

 

From the Rose Dictionary

Grooming - The process of cleaning and primping a rose specimen to make it look as perfect as possible before entering it in a rose show.

 

Horticulture Classes - In a rose show, these are categories in which roses can be exhibited.  The roses are typically single stem specimens which may contain a single bloom or a spray of blooms depending on the rules outlined in the show schedule and are judged by ARS accredited Horticulture Judges.

 

Design Classes - In a rose show, these are the categories for exhibiting rose arrangements.  The arrangements must conform to rules outlined in the show schedule and are judged by ARS accredited Arrangement judges.

 

Show Schedule - The printed document, typically a booklet, containing all of the rules for exhibition, the classes available for exhibition, and the awards and sponsors for the winners in each class.

 

Novice - Any exhibitor who has never won a blue ribbon for a class in an ARS accredited rose show.

 

Challenge Class - A specially defined exhibition class which exhibitors are invited to enter and compete for a special award. 

Rose Arrangement Workshop

If you're thinking about entering an arrangement at the Rose Show this year, here's an opportunity you won't want to miss.  The Raleigh Rose Society is hosting an arrangement workshop for all interested members. 

 

The workshop is scheduled for Sunday, May 5, 2002 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at Dayspring Flowers & Gifts, 5414 Ten Ten Rd., Apex, NC.  Please bring roses from your garden (if you have them), materials and ideas and be prepared to practice your arrangement during this workshop.  The kinds of materials you should think about for your arrangements are: containers, oasis, live plant material, dried plant material, spray paint, wooden rods, plastic rods, small pieces of plexi-glass, tubes, mono-filament line, fabric for background, and anything else you can think of that might help to represent the theme for the arrangement class (es) you're interested in entering.

 

Call Terry Ellis, 676-0561 to sign up or for more information.

 

55th Annual Rose Show

 

On Saturday, May 18th, we will host our 55th Annual Rose Show.  A schedule will be available at our next regular meeting and posted on the website after April 15th .

 

So start planning now.  Take inventory in your garden and see what varieties you have that might be eligible for exhibition.  Make sure you are following your feeding and spraying routine so that your roses get all the food, water, and protective spraying they need to grow strong, large, healthy blooms on tall stems.

 

Then, during the week before the show, you can begin cutting roses for the show.  Rose that are cut early must be well hydrated by cutting stems in tepid water and storing in a cool place to keep the bloom from opening further until show day.

 

Exhibitors generally arrive early, about 7:00 am, to allow enough time to groom as many roses as possible.  Containers are generally available, unless otherwise noted in the show schedule.

 

Each year, we hold our breath, as we wait and see what kind of spring Mother Nature will send our way.  Sometimes we are able to predict if our show will have lots of blooms or not.  This year is still uncertain. 

 

Help us have a beautiful rose show, abundant with blooms and glorious in the variations of color.  Bring whatever roses you have blooming and share our love of roses and their beauty with the community. We'll look forward to seeing you there!

Gardening Tips for April - May

April and May

 

Fighting the War on Black Spot 

 

Effective black spot control depends on an integrated approach that uses timely application of appropriate fungicides and the implementation of good horticultural practices. These are designed to prevent severe infection, which can defoliate plants by mid-season.

 

Control starts with growing cultivars resistant to black spot. Most garden catalogs will identify cultivars resistant to black spot and other rose diseases. For the home gardener who wants to grow a few roses in the landscape, but does not want to be burdened with a fungicide spray program, black spot resistant roses offer a suitable solution. For those dedicated enough to follow a weekly fungicide spray program, black spot susceptible cultivars offer a challenge. Fungicide sprays should be used when conditions favor black spot, which in our area is whenever there are very warm days followed by cool damp nights.

 

Successful control requires weekly application to protect the newly emerging foliage. Apply fungicide sprays in the evening when there is less wind and temperatures are cooler. Cover both sides of the leaf when spraying.

 

Several fungicides are available on the market and can be used to control black spot. It is a good idea to use a different fungicide each season or alternate between fungicides during the growing season. Anyone using a fungicide should first carefully read the label and apply as instructed.

 

Some products you can find locally are:  Funginex, Immunox Plus Insect & Disease Control, Rose Defense (Neem Oil).  There may be others not listed here.

 

!!! ALWAYS FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PRODUCT LABEL!!!

 

More is not always better and less may be ineffective.