Temecula Valley Rose Society

President's Message

It's time to sharpen your pruners, fellow members, as this is the time of year for serious pruning, getting rid of the poor performers and replacing them with new specimens which we hope will give us a coveted Queen. Roses are the most amazing perennials. They bloom all season with amazing colors and fragrance. They bring us so much joy. A garden is not a garden without roses. We look forward to Frank's pruning demonstration at Rose Haven on Saturday, January 29th from 9:00am till 11am. Mark your calendars so we can all help with the general pruning.

It is also a time for setting new goals along with some long term planning, continuing to promote our garden as well as recruiting new members. Hopefully our economy will improve this year and give us a better opportunity for accomplishing our goals and obtaining some much needed grants. Also, any donations in any amount from our members will be most appreciated.

I'd like to end this article by giving my heartfelt thanks to the members who encouraged and supported me throughout the year. God bless.

Awards for the Little Rose Show, 2010

Prizes were awarded at the December meeting for the 2010 year's activity. Third place to Lenore Vogel, a ceramic rose-themed clock; equal points for second place went to Ellen Noel and May Olson, a black metal triple candle holder; first place went to Don Nordike, a bronze and black ceramic vase.

Ellen Noel, Don Nordike, May Olson, Lenore Vogel

Thanks to everyone for participating in this fun show at the meetings. Lenore Vogel has agreed to assist me next year, with our shows starting in April. Let's get some competition started.

Rose Companions

Companion planting is an old concept, a claim that some plants actually help prevent diseases in other plants. In other cases, two plants placed in close proximity to each other do not compete for nutrients. They may even provide nutrients for, or help feed, each other.

Another companion concept is that a plant growing close to the ground may find shelter from the sun or other elements when placed beneath a taller companion. Other companion ideas include similar needs in water or nutrients that let several plants of different kinds or sizes share space without strangling each other.

Huechera is one of the companions at Rose Haven. It looks crispy around the edges right now, but it grows like a ground cover and looks swell around and under roses. Another well known companion for roses is iris. They do not starve each other for nutrients, the iris are much closer to the ground than roses, and the roses lead the eye away from the spiky iris when they are not in bloom. Tree roses especially look good with iris, leading the eye up. Iris growers are increasingly breeding iris that rebloom so the beds are not bare except in Spring.

There are lots of charts and lists available on the Internet about fruits and vegetables that are compatible and those that are harmful to each other. Google lists 157,000 hits for "companion planting rose garden"! Some of these certainly need to be taken into account as we plant our Youth Garden beds. Here's short list of companion plants for roses: Chards, chives, garlic, geranium, parsley, rhubarb and rue. A good primer can be read here.

Rose Haven Update

Happy New Year. Starting the year off right with a burst of energy you can see Phyllis Bettelheim planting several new roses in the photo below. "Legends" is the rose and we cannot wait to see it in bloom.

Phyllis planting Legends roses

Work at the garden will go into full swing this month with pruning being our major objective. We would appreciate all members' participation in this annual project. Wednesday and Saturday mornings are the regular work days. Just an hour of your time will help. Each area has an assigned "lead gardener" whose name is posted on the door of the tool shed. You may help in any area, just ask where to begin. With your assistance we hope to complete pruning and cleanup by the beginning of March.

Our pruning workshop, lead by Frank Brines, will be Saturday, January 29th from 9 – 11 a.m. The public and members are invited to attend no matter their experience level. We always have a good turnout and everyone can learn something new.

Oh yes, besides the roses loving all the rain, weeds are also springing up all over. Jim Marlow has kindly volunteered to spray pathways. He has a large sprayer which is great, but even so this is a huge project. If you see weeds between plants please hand-pull them as it is very difficult to spray in tight areas.

Several projects are slated for early 2011. Renovation work will begin in the Hall of Fame area with DG paths, benches and new plantings. Earth-Kind roses will be planted in a demonstration garden near the tool shed. We would appreciate any help you can lend in planting these and other new roses. Our Ramblin' Rose pony has been removed for restoration by Denise Vaccaro. Thank goodness erosion control and tractor grading measures were completed in December, preventing run-off erosion issues.

Our next Garden Committee meeting is Wednesday, January 26th at 9 a.m. A review of all projects, funds, and a time frame for completion will be discussed. The address to the garden is 30500 Jedediah Smith Road, Temecula. Those interested are encouraged to attend.

Member Meeting Program

How big are these little roses? Where should I plant them: in-ground or container? Being so small, do they need lots of tender loving care? Is it possible to arrange with something so small? These questions and more will be answered or debated. As with most rose topics there can be many different approaches to producing a rose that makes one happy. Feel free to email any mini-rose questions to Frank Brines and Rebecca Weersing.

Resources (such as YouTube!, ARS power point & video logs, book excerpts, hand outs, pruning & arranging demonstrations) will be shared along with plain old-fashioned conversation about these little darlings.

At Rose Haven Heritage Garden we have several miniature rose areas that need special attention beginning in January. The ABC Garden (26 minis – a rose for every letter of the alphabet) was partially planted last January and needs to be completed this year. Miniature Medley contains random minis accumulated over the years and needs a face lift/renovation. Several pockets of mini-rose plantings are located near the picnic area and could really use a little bit of T-L-C. Volunteer with our mini-rose projects between January and April, putting into practice what you learn!

A light buffet luncheon will be served around noon. Guests are welcome.

January Birthdays & New Members

2010 ARS Bronze Medal Recipient

Note: On Thursday, December 16, 2010 our Society awarded the Bronze Medal to Frank Brines. Following are the presentation remarks:

The American Rose Society supports the presentation of the Bronze Medal for Outstanding Service to Local Societies. The recipient of the medal must be a member of the American Rose Society and active in the Local Society for no less than three years. The awarding of this medal is not required in any year. Since the founding of the Temecula Valley Rose Society in 1990, we have recognized nine of our members for this award.

Kathy Katz, Frank Brines, Rebecca Weersing

Our first Bronze Medal was presented to Virginia Boos. Over the years the others have been Joy Hammel, Rebecca Weersing, Audry Nelson, Linda Black, Diana Kilmer, Bill Scheufler, Bonnie Bell, and Phyllis Bettelheim. Today, we are here to add a tenth, very special name to this list by honoring the contributions of Frank Brines to our Society.

Frank is an enthusiastic promoter of growing, enjoying and sharing roses and rose information. He is a Consulting Rosarian and an ARS Judge. He writes a monthly column for the Society newsletter and he adapts it to be published in a local paper "The Valley View". He has numerous requests each year to speak to local organizations. He conducts our annual pruning classes and always has a captivated audience. Frank always talks about the ARS at every opportunity.

Frank has been an important member of our Rose Haven Heritage Garden Committee. The Rose Society owns and operates a 3.4 acres garden that is open to the public daily dawn to dusk. Frank is an integral part of the committee in making decisions about the development and operation of the garden. As a Consulting Rosarian for our Society he is helping to develop a program to encourage members to become CRs. Frank has served both on our annual Rose Show committee and as Chair. Frank has served on the Board of Directors, as TVRS Programs VP, and as TVRS President. Frank is truly an ambassador for both the National, Regional and Local Rose Communities. He is always generous with his time. Frank is positive and encouraging to both novice and experienced rose growers in our community. Frank is extremely knowledgeable.

Frank, in appreciation of your service we say "thank you" with the presentation of both a medal and a certificate. The medal is engraved on the back "To Frank Brines for Outstanding Service in the Temecula Valley Rose Society and the American Rose Society".

Chaparral HS Students Work At Rose Haven

Below is a group photo of the students who are planting all sorts of things in the Youth Garden section of Rose Haven. In addition to earning Community Service Hours for their High School graduation credits these enthusiastic gardeners find time to learn about cultivation as well as socialize as they contribute to the garden. (Photo by Kevin Cantero.)

Readings in Roses

"Anyone who cares for flowers will know that any flower can be a hook on which to hang both memory and desire, but the rose seems better for that than any other."

So says Wayne Winterrowd in his introduction to Roses A Celebration. Richly illustrated with original paintings by Pamela Stagg creates an English Garden ambiance. Remembrances of people and roses are evoked in each of the thirty-three essays. Meandering among the stories of 'Graham Thomas', 'The Fairy', and Rosa chinensis 'Mutablis' the essence of roses is distilled into words. Roses calls for a rainy day, rose hip tea, and a slice of Rose Petal Jam Cake from our Rose Haven cookbook. Check it out: Temecula Public Library; 635.933WIN.

Rose Care FUNdamentals

And, somehow, we've reached another new year. Time to think gardening again. It's a great month to plant roses in the Temecula Valley. Roses planted now have plenty of time and mild conditions to establish their root systems and form relationships with soil fungi so they can become real show-stoppers in your garden as early as May, and hold their own through the heat of summer.

This month and next you can find a wide selection of roses at the home improvement centers and nurseries. You may even have time to order roses from a catalog. These tend to be fresher because they come from the source. Whatever the source, roses come to you "bare root," packaged, and potted. Potted roses make the quickest and most successful transition to your garden; bare root ones are the slowest to thrive. Bare root plants are just that, usually packed in wood chips to keep the roots damp and viable. It is best to get these early and planted immediately so they have the maximum amount of time to begin growing and advance quickly. This year is especially favorable since there has been plenty rain to make the ground very damp which will encourage rooting and stabilizing.

But where to plant those new roses? Well, if you did a great job caring for your roses in 2010, now is a good time to "shovel prune" those that didn't perform well. And rather than tossing that plant in the green waste barrel, consider giving it away. I suggest that you pot it and give to the Temecula Valley Rose Society for their planned plant sale in May. If possible, please include the name of the rose. (How's that for a PLUG?) Some plants that do poorly for you may perform better for someone else. That doesn't mean that you're a failure; it's just that another garden may have just the right combination of environmental variables that the particular rose variety needs for success.

Well, that will leave you with a vacant spot in your garden where you can plant a new rose! (Whoopee!) And you can do that without removing any more soil from the hole. However, because the previous rose did poorly, it's a good idea to assess the spot. Does it have good drainage? Many gardens in our area have a very dense layer of clay beneath the topsoil that can prevent drainage. Even with our recent rains, holes you dig in your rose garden should not show standing or pooling water.

If they do, you've got a problem that isn't going to be solved by planting a new rose. You can try digging deeper to see if you can break through that layer in order for the water to percolate away. You can also apply a "soil buster" product, available at local stores, that specialize in soil conditioners. You may also apply some gypsum powder at the bottom of the hole, in hopes that it may help loosen the clay. (In any case, it can't hurt!)

Now, if you do dig the hole deeper to improve drainage, you've created a new challenge: Loose soil reintroduced into the hole will tend to settle with each watering. If the new rose is grafted–that is, if it isn't growing on its own rootstock–settling may bury the graft, and that can encourage suckers from the root stock. Suckers draw away sugars and nutrients from the main plant; also, suckers tend to produce leggy plants with uninteresting blooms. To help prevent all suckering, before you place the new plant into the hole, press the soil down firmly.

Now, if your soil is high in clay, packing down the soil can introduce yet another problem: It can press out air pockets and make the soil less permeable to water and to roots. To avoid this problem, fill the hole with a good potting soil formulated for roses. The "bud union" or base of the plant should be 1-1/2 to 2 inches above the soil line. Mix some organic fertilizer that is slightly higher in phosphate to the soil at this time of year when planting new plants. The long lasting, slow breakdown and slow release of the fertilizer will be available to the plant by the time the soil warms up in Spring.

In the Temecula Valley January is a good time to plan your pruning schedule, but it may be a little too early to actually prune, depending on your micro climate. Pruning too early runs the risk of exposing tender new growth to killing frosts. A good rule of thumb is that new growth appears about three weeks after pruning, so the major annual pruning should be completed by the end of February if you want major blooms to appear 8 to 12 weeks later.

I will provide detailed guidance on this major pruning in my February column. Also, please tell every rose lover you know that I will be giving a free pruning demonstration at Rose haven Heritage Garden on February 19, 2011. Rose Haven is located at 30500 Jedediah Smith Road (the cross street is Cabrillo Avenue) in Temecula. Spread the word and spread the joy of roses!

For more ideas, visit TVRS' Rose Haven garden at 30500 Jedediah Smith Road, Temecula, as well as our web site: TemeculaValleyRosesociety.org/index.shtml.