Temecula Valley Rose Society Newsletter for May, 2021

Co-President's Message, by Rebecca Weersing

Some years the garden has been in full bloom by the middle of April and some years it has been early May before the garden begins to bloom. It all depends on Mother Nature. April has had some warm days, but many of the days have been on the coolish side.

Our roses have come into bloom in fits and starts. With the heat of today we will get a pop then temperatures will be lower for the first several days of May before warming up again. We will see a slowish roll out of blooms, which is perfect in that the garden should be in full bloom for GoPublicGardens! Days from Friday, May 7 through Sunday, May 16. We have an on-going plant sale plus other events throughout these days.

Our Member Meeting has been changed to Wednesday, May 12th at 10:30 a.m. at Rose Haven. We will learn from Ray Jacques and Ben Jahanabi about propagating roses using their different methods. This meeting will also give us an opportunity to admire all of the work that has been done at Rose Haven since we gathered in October 2020. Being outdoors we will be able distance safely and mask as necessary.

How Does Your Garden Grow, by Rebecca Weersing

Our garden grows with the help of our many Community Friends, some providing services, some providing donations of goods or money, and some generously providing their time.

We are very grateful to the Young Men and Young Women from the Rancho California Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For several hours on Saturday, April 10th these energetic young people helped move mounds of mulch to cover beds in the Lower Garden. The mulch will nourish the soil and suppress weeds.

In the Tree of Life in the Upper Garden there was a brigade laying cardboard over the weeds, watering the cardboard and placing mulch over the cardboard. This method of weed control will be a demonstration of one of several ways to keep our garden as weed free as possible.

Thank you, Young Men and Young Women! Your assistance is a wonderful gift and we truly appreciate your help.

Hard at Work

Yeah Team!

Show Your Vase

by Linda Freeman
Lots of blooms and great vases to share this month.

Ann Schryer shows her Graceland rose in a handmade pottery vase with a tatted doily. Ann also had a great Dortmund rose with a short stem so an Ikebana vase was used and Ann displays her Pristine rose.

Graceland

Dortmund

Pristine

Kathy Trudeau's Chrysler Imperial is in full bloom.

Chrysler Imper­ial

Margaret Granlund has a gorgeous Burgundy Iceberg blooming.

Bur­gundy Ice­berg

Frank Brines has a Dona Martin in bloom.

Dona Martin

Judy Sundermann has an unknown rose in a hobnail vase (if anyone can shed light on possible name let her know).

Unknown

Linda Freeman's Julia Child meets Lady Banks and Red Sunblaze (miniature rose).

Julia Child et al.

May 2021 Program

Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021

NOTE: THE MEETING DAY IS DIFFERENT THAN USUAL AND WE WILL MEET IN PERSON
during Go Public Gardens Days at Rose Haven
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Place: Rose Haven education pavilion, 30592 Jedediah Smith Rd.

Topic: Temecula Valley Rose Society Member Meeting and Society updates and Rose Cuttings, and air layering propagation methods demonstration with members Ray Jacques and Ben Jahanbani. Also, rose planting tips with member Ann Schryer.

Members are encouraged to bring guests and folding chairs, sack lunch, beverage and hat for an after-meeting picnic at Noon, and to look at recent garden updates and our new Labyrinth.

Please wear a mask as we will be practicing social distancing.

May Rose Haven Flora, by Bonnie Bell

Hot Cocoa™ Weeks Roses

A rose from the original garden is the spectacular Floribunda "Hot Cocoa". The color has been described as mysterious, indescribable, and elusive as the russet buds unfurl with a red-chocolate haze. The foliage is deep green to compliment the ruffled fragrant flowers.

"Hot Cocoa" grows to about four feet tall and wide with easy vigor and is naturally disease resistant. It certainly grows with vitality in our warm climate.

The hybridizer of this gorgeous rose is Tom Carruth for Weeks Roses in 2001, with a parentage of Playboy, Altissimo, and Livin' Easy. It has received the ARS Members' Choice Award for its outstanding performance with an 8.0 rating.

Look for "Hot Cocoa" at Rose Haven in the Roses and Companion plants area.

Rose Care FUNda­men­tals, by Frank Brines

Master Consulting Rosarian

There was signs of climate change again this year. Temperatures and rainfall patterns differed greatly from last year, with temps lower for longer, and much less rain and spread out over a longer period. Rose growth and development of are dependent on weather, and flower production is particularly impacted by inconsistent temperatures, sun and water. All of this has made it more difficult for me to predict what to do and when to do it!

Personal commitments caused me to delay my pruning this year by three weeks. Even so, the first roses bloomed about eight weeks after pruning. Typically the first flush of blooms is expected after eight to ten weeks, usually on the longer side. Those roses are now in need of pruning again. In this area, the first annual rose shows would usually be about now, and I know that local exhibitors' roses are in all different stages of bloom, many past exhibit stage.

Abundant sunshine and water produce larger blooms, so your roses are probably really ready to take off. If you didn't apply fertilizer earlier, be sure to do so soon (more about this a little later), along with plenty of water to maintain this production curve. Know the soil composition in your garden so you know how much water to apply to maintain good soil moisture without drowning the roots.

Be vigilant for changes, diseases and pests in your garden now, and be prepared to act on these immediately. The Hoplia Beetle appeared in April with the few hot days. I usually see it in May so it was few weeks early. It can do serious damage in short time to rose blooms. It can first be seen on light colored blooms. Easy to by dragging it out from between the petals with a screw driver or Q-tip and plopping it into a cup of sudsy water. (Note: To learn to identify Hoplia Beetles, just do a search on the Internet. Bottom line however: If you find little holes in light colored petals, and you find beetles nestled between the petals, you've probably got Hoplia - dig 'em out!)

Blooms mature quickly in warm weather, so as they fade, lightly prune back to the first outward facing five-leaflet leaf. Don't shorten the cane too much. If you remove just the blossom and peduncle (this little length of stem that ends at the blossom), you may get two weaker shoots with less bloom quality. This light pruning sets the stage for the next bloom cycle in about 7 weeks.

For best production, try to shape the bush to outward facing buds. If you can, keep canes that are larger than the diameter of a wooden pencil. Doing all this now, your next blooms will appear around mid-June before the summer heat. Knowing this can help you prepare for hot summer in Temecula Valley. Make sure to put all vegetation into your green waste barrel.

Roses want a constant supply of nutrients, including micro nutrients (copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, etc.). Remember that you are also feeding the soil microbiology which is complex and multi-tiered, abundant in beneficial microbes which create a sustainable soil diversity acting like an "immune system."

Phosphate (N) and Potassium (K) help develop strong root systems, better blooms, and help prevent stress during adverse conditions. In fact, plants grown with organic fertilizers are themselves more resistant to pests and diseases. A soil test kit for analyzing the soil needs could save you lots of money, energy and guesswork for a fulfilling garden.

Organic amendments such as manure, compost or mulch stay where you put them, break down slowly, don't contribute to ground water pollution (as long as you prevent run off into drains), improve the soil food web, so that in the long run you end up using less product while providing "food" for all the creatures like earth worms who act like rototillers mixing them into the soil to lower depths. The best thing you can do for your garden is to add a generous layer of mulch that doesn't have wood chips.

Keep an eye for worsening conditions such as water stress, insect pests, and fungal diseases. Do not use a formula that treats everything. Use only a product especially for the specific problem, and treat in proportion to severity, as well as your level of acceptance. If control is lost it may be necessary to strip off all of the diseased leaves and prune back and basically start over.

Some organic formulas use neem oil, insecticidal soaps, baking soda, etc. Read entire labels and use according to directions, including safety equipment to avoid exposure to contaminates. Keep your skin covered when applying chemical treatments. Use approved goggles for eye protection, respirator mask, long sleeve shirt, water/chemical resistant boots and gloves. When the treatment is completed, immediately remove clothing and wash. Take a good shower to remove any possible contamination.

Gardens are showing increased prevalence of the fungal disease "Black Spot." It appears as dark green to black spots on leaves, which often turn yellow and fall off. The infected leaves (even those that fall) produce spores that can infect other leaves. There are many fungicides available, but control can be difficult. Sometimes you just have to remove and dispose of any affected leaves.

Another pest is the Chilli Thrip. It's much smaller than the Western Thrip we're accustomed to and more devastating as it eats ALL varieties of vegetation. Control is quite difficult and new treatments are being studied. Products containing Spinosad bacteria seem to help control soft-bodied larvae, but be aware that even such "natural" products can kill other (beneficial) insect species.

It is never too late to apply a thick layer of mulch! Use composted mulch, not wood products. (Pine needles are good too!) Apply to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Mulch keeps the entire bed uniformly supplied with water. Avoid mulch containing wood chips of any sort: Their breakdown robs the soil of Nitrogen, and a mold can grow that is impenetrable to water, fertilizers, and oxygen.

I've grown many varieties of roses in my gardens. Most will grow well in the Temecula Valley. Some varieties I recommend; Mr Lincoln. Outta the Blue, Easy Does It, Touch of Class, Double Delight, Joey, Gold Medal, Graham Thomas, Fragrant Cloud, Fragrant Plum, Sunsprite, Playboy, Sally Holmes, Ballerina, Tropical Lightening,Hey Jack, Neptune, Violet's Pride.

Heads up for high summer: Don't expect great roses during July-September when temperatures are high! Just keep plants well hydrated, and remove just spent petals, leaving the "hips" (don't prune). The plants will enter a short dormancy and build strength for Fall.