Temecula Valley Rose Society

President's Message

And do it this month, because every new member paid by February 28 will receive a potted rose plant (valued at $20) at orientation in March. Every membership comes with these valuable benefits:
• Discounts at participating merchants
• Ten luncheon buffets at our monthly members' meeting comparable to $8-$10 at any restaurant for a annual value of up to $100.
• Dues provide honorariums to bring us interesting and informative speakers.
• Monthly newsletter with tips on growing roses in our area, along with an events calendar
• Free advice from our ARS Consulting Rosarians to analyze and solve problems, new product and techniques, pruning and care demonstrations, and more.

Dues for first-year members are $35.00 which includes a one-time charge for a name badge; a first-year Family Membership costs $50.00 which includes a one-time charge for two name badges. Renewing individual dues are $25.00 per year, and $30.00 for families. How do you join? To print a membership form Click here.

Mail your completed form or bring it to the next meeting (February 14); if you prefer, you can pick up a printed membership form at the door. In either case, please bring payment (check or cash).

If you didn't attend the January meeting you missed a lively discussion and informative presentation by Marcia Van Loy. Don't miss February's meeting: The program is:"Alpacas" by Marian Guy.

The new room arrangement for our members' meetings is working out great. Committees now have information on the tables with attention-getting signage for all to investigate. Please take a stroll and add your name to one of these committees. Help us by contributing your ideas, help organize events and programs. Without people to join committees, many projects just won't happen. Please join to help us grow and become a more vibrant, active, community organization.

Do you hear that? It's Rose Haven Heritage Garden asking YOU to come adopt and care for just a tiny part of her! She'd like you to do a little pruning, a little raking-whatever you can to help her face the new year proudly looking her best for her many visitors! Wouldn't you like to help her out? Then come down to the garden any Wednesday or Saturday morning around 9 a.m. and chat with any of the volunteers to find the area that's right for you.

Have you gotten my message yet? To restate: Renew, join, volunteer! Add your cheer to the fun, excitement, beautiful garden and wonderful memories that we can create together at TVRS. Remember, "Many hands make light work."

2014 Rose & Art Show

I might as well sound like Paul Revere. Things are progressing fast for our April 26th show. The Artists from the Temecula Art League will be bringing their paintings to the March member meeting for the "Blooming Art" class of the show. Members will be able to select a painting at that time. Also, flyers and the Rose Show Schedule should be available too. We are adding some wonderful classes to the artistic section so keep your eyes open for them.
It is also time to start signing up to help out. We need:
• refreshments (cookies and punch)
• Plants for sale table
• Volunteers to set up and take down
• Transportation for properties
I also need one or two people to help make decorations. So if you like to do crafts, let me know. "Rainbow of Roses" is a wonderful theme and this should be a wonderful show!

Free Class on Creating Videos

Tree of Life Vegetable Garden in January 2014

We are trying to grow winter vegetables in the garden in January even though the temperatures this month are trying to tell us that it is really not winter in Temecula. The garlic we planted in October is growing well with some loss to gopher activity. Everything else in the garden has had a slow start. Seeds planted previously have yet to sprout. Cabbage plants have also had critter damage despite our best efforts to protect them. The onions planted in January with the help of the 3rd Saturday kids are off to a good start. We had a great crop last year and expect another one again this year. We have plans to start using the greenhouse for seed planting starting this month with tomatoes. Once Nardo puts water lines in the greenhouse we will start (this is scheduled for January).

Most of the beds not being used have been cleaned out and we will have a planning meeting soon to discuss spring planting, which may start early this year if temperatures continue to stay the way they have been in January. We hope to get the master gardeners involved in this. We harvested potatoes the first weekend in January from our grow bags (see picture). These bags have worked well and we harvested a plentiful crop of medium to small size potatoes. We also saved many small seed potatoes to start our next crop. We have also harvested some carrots and the kids love eating them right out of the garden. We replanted and chose some carrots with interesting colors which should be fun for everyone. Stop by and taste the various colors when they are ready and let us know which one is your favorite. They are all high in nutrition, low in fat.

We have a request from Youth Gardening for all of the members. We are in need of garden hoes. We have students who are willing to help in the garden but we often do not have enough garden tools. If you have a garden hoe that is still in pretty good condition that you are no longer using and would be willing to donate to the garden it would be appreciated. Please contact Barb Purdy at: barbpurdy@verizon.net or (951) 526-5599.

Carrot Harvest	Potato harvest

Rose Haven Update

It was quite a busy month at the garden in January. Pruning and more pruning has been our objective so the plants are rested and ready to leaf-out in March followed by the fabulous "First Bloom" in April. We thank so much our volunteers (garden angels) and especially new members who have participated. We'll also be in full action during February to get all the roses pruned - so come out any Wednesday or Saturday morning and prune away.

The "Hall of Fame" is ready for the Old Garden Roses to be planted the first week in February. Jim and Laurie Moss are anxiously waiting for the roses to arrive so the area can be finished. When complete this area will be an exceptional addition to the garden. Donations to this and any garden project will be greatly appreciated.

If you missed one of Frank's pruning workshops January, our volunteers will be happy to give you instructions on Saturday mornings.

Our Next garden committee meeting is Wednesday, February 26th at 9:15 in the garden. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. Phyllis is the committee chair and conducts the meetings. And just a note, Phyllis Bettelheim is one of our supreme volunteers. We graciously thank her for the endless hours she works in the garden, chairs the meetings, arranges insurance, and contacts tree and landscape people when we need them, plus endless more undertakings. Bravo, Phyllis. Keep smiling.

Phyllis Bettelheim

Member Meeting Program

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

February Birthdays & New Members

Families in the Garden

We met January 18th in our "Tree of Life" vegetable garden. Children learned the proper way to handle our kid size red shovels. Onions were then planted in neat rows. The event ended with cleaning the shovels and having a well deserved snack. We will be planting potatoes on February 15th in our big growing bags.

Planting Onions

February Committee Meetings

Youth Gardening Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 5 from 10 am to noon at the home of chair Joann Summers. Planning for Families in the Garden programs and Earth Day on April 19 are on the agenda.

Finance Committee will meet at the home of our new treasurer Bonnie Bell on Tuesday, February 11 from 1 pm to 3 pm. The committee reviews the financial reports to be presented at the Board meeting and prepares plans related to Society financial matters.

The Board of Directors meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July) at the Assistance League from 10 am to noon. Members are welcome to attend and should contact President Frank Brines.

The Rose Show Committee will meet after the Member meeting refreshments on Thursday, February 20 from 1 pm until 1:45. Contact Linda Black for more information.

Please check-out the calendar on our website for contact information and locations of all of our events.

Grocery Cards Benefit TVRS

Rose Care FUNdamentals

To do the job right, one usually needs to have a range of pruner sizes handy. Each size has a limit to the diameter thickness for which it is most efficiently used; also, using too small a pruner on too large a cane can damage both. At minimum, have a pair of loppers and a standard-sized pair of hand pruners. All pruners should be kept clean, sharp, and in good repair. Rubbing alcohol is ideal for cleaning pruners, before and during the job. It also helps prevent transmitting diseases from plant to plant, and you can use it as first aid for punctures and scratches to your skin.

Before starting the job, lubricate the moving parts with a little light oil (such as 3-in-1 or even WD-40), and make sure they operate without resistance. Sharpen each blade with a small diamond file (available at garden centers), trying as much as possible to match the original bevel of the blade. Every 100 cuts or so, swipe the file over the blade a few times to keep it sharp. If you notice that the pruners are crushing the stems and/or leaving a tail, it's past time to sharpen!

Now, decide what style of pruning you feel comfortable with (Figure 1). I find this works well with the way buds are distributed along the cane. Buds are found in the "axle" where a leaf meets the cane; leaves spiral around the cane at about 1.5" intervals. This places outward-facing buds about 4" apart. If I prune lightly to moderately, and if frost damages the tender young growth, then I know I can still re-prune to the next bud down.

In Southern California our rose bushes can grow quite large, so I start with some gross pruning to bring the project down to size. I use loppers to cut every bush down to about 3 feet high. This lets me examine the structure of the bush, and to use my hand pruners to more easily remove canes that are twiggy, dead, crossing other canes, or passing through the center of the plant. I also remove old leaves as I go along so I can see what I'm aiming at. After removing all that stuff from the interior of the bush you can do the final pruning. Attempt to leave a domed top to the degree possible so the plant will bush out in a pleasing, balanced manner.

   

There are two kinds of cuts you will make. Some cuts remove the entire branch; these cuts are made flush with the surface of the parent cane. Other cuts simply shorten a cane. It is important to position your pruners so you minimize damage to the plant. Take a look at your pruners and notice that they have a sharp cutting blade (which slices through the cane), and a dull curved non-cutting blade (which holds the cane in place during the cut). Position your pruners so the non-cutting blade is in contact with the portion of the cane that will be removed, and the cutting blade is on the side of the cut that will remain on the plant. (See Figure 2.) This will make more sense when you are actually holding the pruners and getting ready to cut! Also, always prune above an outward facing bud with an angled cut. (See Figure 3).

   

A word of caution when pruning: Look for the small nests of hummingbirds, as this is the nesting period for two varieties in our area. Also, if you discover praying mantis egg cases on any branches you remove, find a place to put them where they will be undisturbed and hatch out so you can benefit from the offspring!

Be sure to dispose of all cut off material into your green waste bin and put it on the street. Clean the ground thoroughly of all rose debris. Apply a dormant spray to the plants and the soil surface to ward off diseases.

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!