Temecula Valley Rose Society

President's Message

We'd like you to join this group! Anyone who has made a trip, attended a seminar of interest to TVRS members, discovered an interesting story or history of a rose or garden can submit an article to the newsletter! It would be great to have your voice and articles! If you are interested in contributing, please contact me at roseguy2000@aol.com.

It's a new year and time to set out my goals for the coming year:
1. Retain our current members and increase membership by 10%.
2. Increase attendance at member meetings to at least 50.
3. Encourage each attendee to donate $5 or purchase $5 of opportunity table raffle tickets to help cover the rent of the meeting room at the library.
4. Increase member participantion in joining committees and/or volunteering to help at Rose Haven (there are ways to volunteer that are not laborious!)
5. Encourage more members to join the American Rose Society (ARS), the umbrella organization to which all local rose societies are affiliated.
6. Increase member support of our society (which is a non-profit) and any contributions no matter how small help to make our budget and provide service to members and the community. (Will that check for $10 or less really make a difference? The answer is a definite "Yes!")

I'm looking forward to spending time together this year enjoying roses and one another! Have a wonderful new year!

Little Rose Show – 2013 Finalist Winners

At our December 19th member meeting, the top 3 winners of our Little Rose Show (LRS) were presented with a prize. Ellen Noell had 80 points and was the first prize winner. She had also won the "Rose of the Day" three out of the five months that we had a 2013 Little Rose Show. Lenore Vogel won second with 51 points and Don Nordike got third prize with 36 points.

Beginning April 17th, 2014 at our regular member meeting, just 9 days before our ROSE SHOW, which will be on Saturday April 26th, you will have an opportunity to bring your roses and get some expert advice and help from Jan Brider, who has joined the LRS committee. We are very fortunate to have Jan as a new member in our group. She is well qualified to share her vast knowledge of roses with our members. She was president of the Orange County Rose Society and their rose show chairperson for 13 years and is a Consulting Rosarian and Master Gardener.

This will be the best time to start participating in the LRS as it is one of the best ways you can learn more about roses and how to present them at a show. There are lots of tips you will be learning as to what to do with your roses before the blooms start, and during their development, how to cut them for a show, and many more tid bits.

Lost or Found?

I seem to have mislaid my umbrella at the last members' meeting (Xmas party). It is slightly broken (in several places) but it has faithfully kept me dry (or drier) in emergencies. Also, the magnetic backing for my badge might be stuck to it. If you found it, or it it accidently followed you home, please let me know and/or bring it to the next members' meeting-thank you! Yours, Frank Brines.

Old Garden Rose Area At Rose Haven

The Rose Haven Committee has recently agreed to add a section to Rose Haven featuring "Old Garden Roses." By way of explanation this area will consist of roses propagated before 1867. Among the criteria the committee selected were everblooming varieties, fragrance, size, color, AARS rating and color.

The area selected is to be just north of the Hall of Fame section between HOF and the concrete stones in the creek bed, a half-circle area approximately 70 feet wide. In the center will be a memorial bench facing east toward the main garden. Along the back side of the area will be taller, climbing varieties, then lower roses to about 7 feet, then lower plants to about 4 feet. Arrangements are being made to prepare the area and plant the roses next month. Roses selected for this area are:
 Celine Forestier, Souvenier De La Malaison, Bsarrone Prevost, Louise De Odier, Marchella Boccella, Rose Du Roi, Reine De Violettes, Anna De Diesbach, Hermosa, Old Blush, Cramoisi.

Donations for this project will be GLADLY accepted! However, the Committee feels that the addition of an Old Garden Rose section to Rose Haven will, and should be greatly appreciated by all, members and non-members. Editor's note: Here's a web site with some background informatiion on this subject: Guide to Antique Roses.

 Proposed Old Garden Rose Area

Member Meeting Program

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

January Birthdays & New Members

Families in the Garden

Rose Haven Update

Welcome 2014! We have exciting plans for the garden this year. First is developing an "Old Garden Rose" area which will be created next to the Hall of Fame. Jim Moss has taken the lead and done all the legwork—design, cost of materials, and of course purchase of these special roses. We encourage our members to support this project which will be a wonderful addition to our garden and provide an educational experience for members as well as the public. Kindly send your donations to TVRS, PO Box 890367, Temecula, CA 92589. Mark your check (or cash) OGR. Donations are tax deductible.

Another project is to remove the old, straggly roses under the three oak trees on the lower east side of the garden. This will allow us to better position the wood picnic table and add a few benches in the shade.

Pruning, yes. Warm up your pruning shears and loppers because it's time to winter prune the roses. Wednesday and Saturday mornings are our regular volunteer days and our gardening angels request some help. Frank will conduct a pruning workshop Saturday, January 18th. You don't want to miss this class. Our volunteers will be happy to give you instructions on the other Saturday's. Come out and join us.

Our next garden committee meeting is Wednesday, January 22nd. All are invited as we review plans, costs, maintenance, and progress. The address is 30592 Jedediah Smith, Temecula. Please see our website temeculavalleyrosesociety.org.

Garden Chat

On Saturday the Greenthumbs filled our truck with the dried up sunflower and sunchoke plants and loaded the dumpster, swept up the driveway after. Got the tomato and pumpkin beds cleaned up and dug up. Looks great, and we are ready to plant. We tightened up the net covering the cabbages and peas. Those hungry guys up there were walking on it and nibbling through the net.

Howard helped get another umbrella holding up the net on the pumpkin patch. Much more comfortable to work in and looks critter proof.

Speaking of hungry guys, the gophers got all the sunchoke roots, save a small smidgen that is green and growing. I think we will have to plant everything but tomatoes in a wire basket to stop them, as even the kale has been decimated now. I get help putting traps out, but it sure lets you know just how much poison the commercial farmers must have to use to control all the varmints. I know they use bait in boxes with baffles for the squirrels and many rabbits, but what do commercial organic farmers do?

Nardo has kept the weeds sprayed and scraped, and he intends to get water in the greenhouse soon. We had five students last Saturday. The weather was lovely and we enjoyed sandwiches together under the trees as a year-end treat. We have had great fun working with the Greenthumbs this year and are very grateful for the opportunity to spend time with such terrific young people.

Committees for the New Year

The new year committee schedule will start off with the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the home of Rebecca Weersing (temroses@gmail.com ). The committee will finalize 2013 financial reports in preparation for the year-end audit review. The Finance Committee meets the Tuesday prior to the Board of Directors meeting on the second Thursday of each month.

The Board of Directors meeting will be held at the Assistance League from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, January 9. Members are welcome to attend. Contact Frank Brines (roseguy2000@aol.com).

Rose Show Committee will meet at 1 p.m. after the member meeting and refreshments at the Temecula Public Library, Room B. Contact Linda Black (ljblack@verizon.net) for additional information. The 2014 Rose Show is scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at the Assistance League.

The Rose Haven Planning Committee meets at Rose Haven on Wednesday, January 22 at 9 a.m. Contact Phyllis Bettelheim (phyllisb32@verizon.net).

Youth Gardening Committee has two sub-committees - 'Families in the Garden' for families with children under 12 and 'Tree of Life' for high school students. In 2014 we are forming a sub-committee for the middle school grades and the first meeting will be on Wednesday, January 29 from 10 a.m. to noon at the home of Rebecca Weersing (temroses@gmail.com). Anyone interested in working with this age group is welcome to attend.

Committee minutes are being posted on our website. When you visit our website the 'Menu' is on the left hand side of the screen. Click on 'Committee Mtgs & Mins'. Scroll down to the minutes you would like to read and click!

Want to know what is happening in the Society in any particular month? When you visit our website 'Home Page' scroll down to the line with the flashing 'NEW' and click on 'event calendar'. Up will pop a current month calendar with our events. Click on any day's event to find out time, location and other pertinent information. If you have any questions regarding the calendar, email Rebecca Weersing (temroses@gmail.com).

Rose Care FUNdamentals

By the way, 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 free pruning demonstrations at Rose Haven Heritage Garden every Saturday in January and February starting at 9 a.m. at Rose Haven located at 30592 Jedediah Smith Road (the cross street is Cabrillo Avenue) in Temecula. Spread the word and spread the joy of roses!

January and February are excellent months for planting roses in the Temecula Valley. Roses planted now have mild conditions and plenty of time to establish their root systems and form relationships with soil fungi so they can become real show stoppers in the garden as early as April. A wide selection of roses are available this month and next at home improvement centers and nurseries. Most nurseries and retail suppliers also have Web sites where you can order roses. (Mail order plants tend to be fresher, as they come from the source.) Whatever the source, roses usually come to you in one of three forms: "bare root," potted, or packaged. Bare root plants are just that, usually packed in wood chips to keep the roots damp and viable. They are the slowest to thrive and it is best to get them early and planted immediately so they have the maximum amount of time to become established. Potted roses make the quickest and most successful transition to the garden.

First, dig up any rose you want to replace. If the rose appears to be in good health, consider potting it up and donating it to the Temecula Valley Rose Society for our spring sale at Rose Haven, and, if possible, label it with its varietal name. (If you have a rose to donate, contact me at roseguy2000@aol.com). If you plan to plant a new rose in place of one that 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 ample irrigation, 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 dig the hole deeper to improve drainage, you've created new challenges: Loose soil reintroduced into the hole will tend to settle with each watering. Also, if your soil is high in clay, packing it down can press out air pockets and make the soil less permeable to water, oxygen, and roots. To avoid these problems, fill the hole with a good potting soil formulated for roses, and mix in some organic fertilizer that is slightly higher in phosphate into the soil. The long lasting, slow breakdown/release of the fertilizer will make nutrients available by the time the soil warms up in spring. Before you place the new plant into the hole, press the soil down firmly to a depth that will place the "bud union" or base of the plant 1-1/2 to 2 inches above the soil line (if the new rose is grafted, that is).

There is no need to apply any additional fertilizer at this time-what you've provided is plenty. You will provide additional fertilizer after the first growth is 2" to 3" long. More about that in a future column!

For more ideas, visit TVRS' Rose Haven garden at 30592 Jedediah Smith Rd.,
Temecula, as well as our web site at TemeculaValleyRoseSociety.org/index.shtml. You might also want to visit our section at Meetup.com to find events of interest to you. Spread the joy of roses!