Temecula Valley Rose Society

President's Message

Dues for 2018 are now due. Please bring your checkbooks and renew at the January meeting.

Rose Pruning Demonstration/Hands-On Workshop

The annual pruning demonstration at Rose Haven Heritage Garden will take place on Saturday, January 27, at 10 am. The address is 30592 Jedediah Smith Road. Newcomers are welcome as well as members who might need a review. Experienced pruners can work alone or help others. Bring tools and gloves.

A Rose By Any Other Name ... Three

As indicated last month I wanted to ask the membership to recognize the troubles in Santa Rosa, California, and that I dedicated this series to those unfortunate citizens of the City of Saint Rose. These events caused me to rearrange the order of articles in these series. Therefore, since we started with a geographical location, Santa Rosa, we will begin the order with cities and states, and their connections with the Rose.

To begin with there are a number of cities and towns across the nation that have the word "Rose" in their names. However, after a quick scan of my United States Atlas, I realized that there are too many communities that have "Rose" in their names. My quick search revealed that there are 37 cities and towns named for our flower in the USA. Too many to identify individually, with only one exception: That would be Rose Haven, Maryland. "Hooray for that town!!!!.

In addition to the communities across America that include the word Rose in their names, there are several states that have the Rose as their state flower, in one form or another: New York, Iowa, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Washington DC. Quite a few cities and towns have also honored the Rose by naming it the Official City Flower, among which is Temecula and others too numerous to mention. And song titles such as San Antonio Rose, The Yellow Rose of Texas, Only a Rose (Charlie Barnet, 1939) Honeysuckle Rose and others.

More next month including names or nicknames of people and other references to the Rose.

Grocery Cards Benefit TVRS

Member Meeting Program

Indoor enjoyment of blooms is one of the pleasures of having roses growing in our gardens. Ann will focus on creating the informality of bouquets rather than the formality of rose show arrangements. Also she will share photography tips as a way to capture forever the beauty of our blooms. Ann plans some in-garden workshops at Rose Haven during our spring bloom period for hands-on practice of our photography skills. We will discuss the rules for entering the American Rose Society Photography Contest as well as our own Photography Show in the fall.

Rose Learning Workshop: What is a Consulting Rosarian and how do I become one?
Post-lunch Committee Meeting: Programs Planning for 2018

A light buffet luncheon will be served at 11:30. Guests are welcome.

January Birthdays & New Members

Birthdays   Lenore Vogel, 1-6 and Micha Grayson, 1-14

New Members   There are no new members this month.

Rose Haven Garden

At Rose Haven we start the year in high gear as once again it's rose pruning time. Wednesday and Saturday mornings are the scheduled work days at 9:00 a.m. and we hope many of you will join in. We begin with the roses along the driveway, but you can choose your own area if you prefer.

Also, we are looking forward to the pruning class given by Virginia Boos on Saturday, January 27th at 10:00. We invite everyone to attend as the class is open to the public as well as our members. This will be a hands-on demonstration for beginners and people wanting to refresh their skills. The raised beds is where Virginia will demonstrate. This event is an enjoyable way to learn and share our love of roses with the community.

The next garden committee meeting Wednesday, January 24th at 9:30. We will discuss projects for this year. Members interested are always welcome to attend the meeting. The Garden address is 30592 Jedediah Smith Road, Temecula.

Succulents Area

Aloe Striata

Rose Haven garden is at 30592 Jedediah Smith Rd. in Temecula.

Rose Care FUNdamentals

Many gardeners mistakenly think that doing their "spring" pruning in December or early January will give them a head start on flower production, but this is a delusion. First, consider that even if January brings us exceptionally warm air temperatures, the soil will still be quite cold, so the roots (and stems) will not be "revved up" for much active growth—your head start won't amount to much. And more importantly, if early pruning is followed by a hard frost you will probably lose the tender young growth and have to prune again. Will the remaining canes be long enough and have enough stored energy for vigorous spring growth? Will you have enough outward-facing buds? Probably not. Simply stated, pruning too early will set back stem growth and flower production, and can ruin your chances of a strong, well-formed plants.

So before you pick up those pruners and launch out into the chilly January air, contemplate the odds of another frost or freeze. The frost dates for the Temecula Valley are mid-November through late March, but we can get damaging frost as late as April. Time your pruning more closely to when the soil begins to warm, temperatures moderate, and the threat of frost is likely past. Pruning in mid-January (at the earliest) to mid-February usually strikes a balance between potential frost damage and time to get two or three good bloom cycles in before the brutal summer. New growth will usually appear 2 to 3 weeks after your SPRING pruning, and new blooms 8 to 12 weeks from pruning-if a cold spell doesn't interrupt.

January and February are excellent months for planting new roses in the Temecula Valley and environs; let's be optimistic that the weather for the next few weeks will be relatively dry and warm so planting will be easier. Still, one can usually wait until March to plant and still expect the roots to form relationships with beneficial soil fungi and become showstoppers as early as May, well ahead of the heat of summer. Potted rose bushes will be optimal for these late plantings.

For now, be thinking about adding one or two new roses to your garden in spring. Roses offered for sale are rated by quality. You want only #1 roses—they are the surest guarantee of success, with all horticultural methods employed to provide satisfaction. Don't waste your time and money on anything lower. Higher quality plants have a higher chance of success, require less effort, and acclimate faster. Also, the cost of any rose is a very small fraction of what you will eventually invest in that plant over the years in water, fertilizer, pest control, and effort, so why not start with a first-quality plant?

Roses may come to you as "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, but they also tend to be more expensive and not as plentiful in selection, but as I said, the initial cost will pale against what you put into the plant in the years to come.

There are many sources: local nurseries and reputable online retailers who specialize in roses. New stock will begin appearing in nurseries this month, and online suppliers usually ship in mid-January. (Does that tell you anything?) But be sure to shop early for the best selection—and if you have access to it, be sure to consult your American Rose Society Buyer's Guide (which you will receive with your annual ARS membership or renewal). I received my ARS 2018 Rose Annual edition a month or two ago, and in my opinion it is one of the best (if not the best) issues published. It is full of rose info and tips and new varieties one might desire to secure.

I will provide more guidance on that all-important annual pruning in the February column. Also, check local newspapers and nursery websites for schedules of hands-on pruning classes at different locations and check the TVRS Rose Society website for their pruning schedule at Rose Haven Heritage Garden. Please bring clean, sharp, by-pass pruners in good working condition, and be prepared to learn and to lend a hand pruning under experienced direction; this will be a great opportunity to get your questions answered, hone your skills, and boost your confidence.

I would like to add to the many comments I have received that there is no specific date on which all rose care is down. There are many elements that more or less determine the proper timing. Weather is the primary element as it involves not only air temperature but ground temperature as well. I offer what is a generalization of timing for rose care. Unlike holidays we can't fool Mother Nature and make a specific date on which things in the garden are to be done.

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. Spread the joy of roses!