Temecula Valley Rose Society Newsletter for April, 2022

President's Message, by Virginia Boos

It's been 2 years since Covid-19 entered our lives, changing everything. Now we are trying hard to create an atmosphere of "belonging" again. I hope everyone will feel welcome to attend meetings and activities. We have big plans and are eager to see them happen.

There are so many opportunities to volunteer at Rose Haven, working outdoors and getting some exercise. May Garden Days will be coming along soon, with a whole week's worth of interesting events and fun times to share. I'm offering my garden at home for a tour on Saturday, April 23rd, just like we have had in the past. There are plenty of activities to enjoy, if you feel like it. And I hope you will!

April 2022 Program

Date: Thursday, April 21, 2022
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Place: Temecula Library, Community Room, 30600 Pauba Rd., Temecula
Topic: "Ask the Experts Panel" – all about roses and soil farming!

Our member Jill Selders will start our panel program with an overview of the soil farming project at Rose Haven. Frank Brines, Master Rosarian and our monthly newsletter FUNdamentals writer, Virginia Boos and Rebecca Weersing will also be on our panel for all of your rose questions. Refreshments and socializing start at 10a.m. and our program will start at 10:30 a.m.

Bring your friends and all of your rose questions for a lively discussion of our favorite flower and providing optimum growing conditions.

April is our member garden tour month.
As gardens come in to bloom, our members will open their gardens for member tours. These open garden days will be announced via EMAIL blasts to our members. We have at least 4 gardens signed up. If you would like to open your garden, please contact Linda Freeman at lee.linda@verizon.net.

Our first tour will be on Saturday, April 23 at 10 a.m. We will meet at Rose Haven for a tour of new plantings and then proceed to Virginia Boos’ garden in Temecula. Directions to Virginia’s will be given out at Rose Haven.

Show your Roses!
Community members are invited to enter their flowers for the Temecula Valley Garden club's annual Flower Show – "GARDEN KALEIDOSCOPE" The Exciting World of Color.
SATURDAY APRIL 23, 2022 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Free Admission • Everyone is Invited • Public Entries Invited
Temecula Community Recreation Center / 30875 Rancho Vista Rd., / Temecula, CA Free Admission.

National Garden Club Standard Flower Show & Plant Sale
Flower show entries will be accepted early morning, April 22. Judging starts at 1 p.m. and awards will be posted at displays when the show opens to the public Saturday, April 23.
EXHIBITS - Horticultural, Floral Design, Youth Exhibits
PLANT SALE - Flowers, Veggies, Cacti, Succulents, House Plants, Decorative and Unique Planters
OPPORTUNITY DRAWING
For more information, Show Schedule, Entry Cards go to www/TemeculaValleyGardenClub.com

Rose Care FUNda­men­tals, by Frank Brines

ARS Master Rosarian

Many gardeners are having (or are about to have) their first flush of blooms. Climate change is influencing the weather and affecting the accustomed pruning schedule. The erratic temperatures also have a bearing on the growth of our plants. Roses didn't stop growing this past winter.

Even so, I have buds opening on the bushes that got pruned on schedule. Now the conditions for fungi are present, and rust and/or mildew which will need control with fungicides—and even stripping infected leaves if the infestation is heavy. I have had reports of rust and thrip activity in some areas, so inspect for these daily. The prediction for higher than normal temperature for the next two weeks may help with fungi problems. Other things to watch for are rose mosaic virus, black spot and Anthracnose.

If you want the fullest blooms possible, supply plenty of water to your plants, but don't flood them. For larger blooms, apply greater amount of water when buds begin to swell and show color. But pay attention to the drainage of your soil—roses like plenty of water but they don't respond well to soggy soil. The optimum time to irrigate is early in the day.

Roses love food. Preferably good quality food on a regular basis. Not all fertilizers include all the micro/macro nutrients needed, so read the label on the packaging. Alternating the major fertilizer with fish emulsion every 2 weeks will help provide some of the micro nutrients. As I always say, organics are much better for your soil and ultimately for your garden and the environment. I'm told that sprinkling 1 cup of Epsom Salt (Magnesium of Sulfate) around large size plants, ½ cup for smaller plants, once in Spring and once in Fall can assist in getting new basal breaks (new canes from the bud union). I've done this many times but I'm not sure it works!

The soil needs a supply of organic material such as humus incorporated into the depths. That isn't easily accomplished in established gardens, however adding a 3 – 4 inches of a good composted mulch over the entire garden, leaving a 12” diameter circle open around base of each bush will go a long way to enriching your soil overall because over time earthworms help transport that mulch down into the soil where the microbiology is complex and multi-tiered.

A healthy garden soil system is teeming with beneficial microbes that inhibit, compete with, and consume disease-causing organisms. This creates a sustainable soil "immune system." In fact, plants grown with organic fertilizers are themselves more resistant to pests and diseases. In addition, when you feed those beneficial organisms, they feed your roses. That's because they are busy breaking down organic matter and releasing mineral nutrients slowly and reliably. I've recently learned that extra phosphate in the fertilizer that you use is most important in assisting in creating a soil environment that aids immensely in helping plants to be resistant to pest and diseases. Also helping plants to develop hardier root systems and larger blooms.

Many gardeners become discouraged when they first experiment with organic treatments while still using chemical fertilizers. It is difficult—in fact, almost impossible—to have it both ways. Chemical fertilizers negatively impact the soil food web by poisoning entire portions of it. The fact is, chemical fertilizers are salts! What gardener hasn't seen what table salt does to a slug or snail? Salts absorb water and dehydrates the soil microbes which are the foundation of the soil nutrient system. Once you've used chemical fertilizers regularly you must keep adding more because the soil microbiology is weakened and unable to do its job of releasing naturally available nutrients to your plants.