An American Rose Society Affiliated Organization

Organized April 21, 1947

September's Newsletter

September 15, 2001

September Meeting Announcement

The September meeting of the Raleigh Rose Society will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2001 at 7:00 pm 2001 at the Fairview Greenhouses and Garden Center on Holly Springs Road in Raleigh.

Meeting Agenda includes:

Introductions
Nominations for officers for 2002 season.
Your input for programs
20 Minute Q & A - with our consulting rosarians.
September Program will be a dual session with:

Dave Illg - How to enter roses at the North Carolina State Fair flower shows.
Darrell Kohlmann & Terry Ellis - The Show Experience at the ARS National Show and Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

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

Letter from the President

By Terry Ellis
President, Raleigh Rose Society

Hello to all,

I hope Mother Nature and the summer weather were good to your garden. We got a lot of good rain this year and I haven't had to water very much at all. My roses are looking pretty good considering this is the hottest part of the season. The Japanese Beetles have come and gone. There didn't seem to be as many this year; although some folks are reporting complete devastation and are just now recovering.

The executive committee met last week and came up with some great ideas for fall activities. We will talk about them at the September meeting and get input from you to ensure we're meeting your needs.

This is your society and your input is extremely important to us. We want to be sure we're giving you the kind of information you need, when you need it. So if you think there is something missing or there are topics you would rather discuss in greater detail, please let us know. There are several ways we can meet your needs: 1) by having a program at a meeting, 2) by writing an article in the newsletter, and 3) by publishing information on our website. With your help, we can be the best society for sharing knowledge in our area.

The bottom line is - we can't do it without you!

I hope to see all of you at the meeting in our new location at Fairview Gardens on September 25^th at 7:00.Terry

According to mythology, the reason that roses grow on Earth is to symbolize the first dawn of Eos, the goddess of the morning.

From the Rose Dictionary

Peduncle - way above the foliage of the stem and just below the base of the flower.

Pollen - The yellow dust produced by the anthers. It is the male element, which fertilizes the ovule.

Calyx - The green protective cover of the flower bud, which opens into five sepals.

Sepal - One of the five green divisions of the calyx.

Anther - The part of the flower, which produces pollen. It is the upper section of the stamen.

Filament - The supporting column of the anther. It is the lower part of the stamen.

Rose Plugs, May Replace Bare Root Delivery of Roses

The September issue of the American Rose magazine features an article rose plugs that will replace two-year, field-grown bare-root roses for some growers and nurseries.

Rose plugs are smaller that bare root bushes reducing shipping costs. Availability of roses to wholesale nurseries and retailers is increased since their advance order time is reduced from two years ahead of delivery to 24 weeks.

Greenheart Farms is preparing to offer over 300 varieties of miniature, floribunda, and OGR roses to wholesalers for the 2002 growing season. They will not be directly available to retail customers, but retailers will benefit from expanded availability throughout the growing season with fuller plants that have not been trimmed for shipping. It is expected that Nurseries will plant these rose plugs in 1 to 5 gallon containers for sale to the general public.

Greenheart Farms is one of California’s leading plug transplant producers and grows more than a billion plants a years including rose plugs. To learn more about Greenheart Farms and their products you can visit their website at www.greenheartfarms.com .

To see the complete article for more in depth information see "Rose Producer Plugs Into The Future" in the September 2001 issue of the American Rose Magazine

What's Happening with the Carolina District Website

As some of you may have noticed, the Carolina District Website is experiencing some technical difficulties.

Just so that you know, it is being worked on. Duane Bogenschneider, former District Chair for Consulting Rosarians, established this website for the Carolina District and provided excellent service to the district in keeping the site maintained and the information current.

Earlier this year, Duane moved to Pennsylvania to start a new job. In the beginning Duane thought he might be able to continue maintaining the site, but has since discovered that it just isn't possible.

Terry Ellis has volunteered to take over the site for the Carolina District and is in the process of transitioning the files and data from Duane's computer to hers, so that she can move it to it's new location and get it up and running again. Thank you for your patience as we work through this process. We will contact each society president when the new location is ready and publish the new address.

Because of the popularity of roses in Roman gardens, a poet expressed mock concern that with all the land devoted to the growing of roses, there would be a shortage of grain.

Gardening Tips for September - October

September

Continue fertilizer program
Continue spraying routine
Cut spent blooms
Water as needed
Check leaves for yellowing (possible iron deficiency) consult rosarians for recommendations

October

Stop fertilizing program until next spring
Start preparing area for new rose beds
Water as needed
Continue spraying routine
Cut spent blooms
The soil in the Carolinas is typically acidic. Apply Lime (1/2 cup) and Gypsum (1/2 cup), around the base of the plant and scratch it into the soil. This increases the alkalinity of the soil. The application of Lime and Gypsum should only be done twice a year, once in early Spring and once in mid-Fall. So as not to over or under use these soil amendments, have a soil sample tested, explicitly for growing roses, at the county extension office.

Membership Renewal

Fall is the time we begin to collect membership dues. The annual membership is $15.00 and is for the 2002 season is due by the end of December 2001. Please bring you check to the September meeting or mail it to:

Rich Radic

8333 South Creek Rd.

Willow Spring, NC 27592

If you have any questions about your membership status, please call any of the officers and we will check into it for you.