December 2015
The Rose Society of Tucson Announces The RST December Meeting Is
O u r A n n u a l H o l i d ay P o t l u c k At Our Tucson Botanical Garden Meeting Room This is always a festive gathering — we look forward to seeing all our members celebrating with us. Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 Time: 6:00pm Place: Tucson Botanical Gardens Bring: - Main Dish, or a - Salad, or a - Side Dish, or a - Dessert
Drinks Will Be Provided
Program: Installation of our 2016 Officers Announcement of our 2015 Recognition Awards Be prepared to share the name of your favorite rose.
R e m e m b e r ! Rather than a gift exchange, at our Holiday
Potluck we accept donations that benefit Tucson’s “Youth On Their Own” program.
Vol. 55 No. 10
Editor: Donna Kamper
Dues are Due – January 1st, 2016 Yes, it’s
time again to support our Society. Yearly dues are $20.00 per household. See Page 12 for membership form.
President’s Message The Season of Eating?
When I think back to holidays of my childhood and early adulthood, the greatest memories are of the food my aunt and mother would cook. I remember spending time in the kitchen helping them and learning how to cook and bake all the family favorite recipes.
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Contents ARS Has Holiday Gift Giving Covered! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Welcome Back, Returning Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 December in the Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Lou’s Plan Of Attack For Rose Ordering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Rose Plants For Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Mycorrhizae/Mycorrhizal Fungi... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Growing Roses In Containers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Officers, Committee Chairs and Rosarians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Rose Society of Tucson President’s Message, continued from page 1
My mother and her friend would spend an entire day making homemade candies and on another Saturday my mom would bake mounds of cookies. We would decorate or roll them in powdered sugar for her, nibbling on a few along the way. She froze a lot of the cookies she made, so whenever someone dropped by she could whip out a plate of cookies and make coffee and tea.
Upcoming Events Tuesday, December 1 Annual Holiday Potluck at Tucson Botanical Gardens Dinner 6:00pm; Meeting 7pm 2016 Officer Installation Good food and some fun!
Many things happened around our family table during the holidays. I’m sure you have many of your own memories of happy, sad and funny times.
Saturday, December 5 Arizona Rose Societies Luncheon Hosted in Tucson AZ at Embassy Suites Guest Speaker Steve Jones, ARS Past-President and Former President of World Federation of Rose Societies
I really enjoy this time of year because it gives us an excuse to get together with the people in our lives. It gives us an opportunity to get to know them better and share a meal. It’s always fun! So I’m looking forward to seeing some of those favorite holiday dishes at our Holiday Potluck on December 1st. Hope to see all of you there! And have a safe and happy holiday season, however you celebrate it.
Tuesday, December 8 Board Meeting at Liz’s house 6:30pm
—Diane Pavlovich, President
ARS Has Holiday Gift Giving Covered!
Tuesday, January 5 Regular Meeting at Tucson Botanical Gardens Social 6:30pm; Meeting 7pm Program: Pruning and gardening information
Did you know? The American Rose Society has a variety of items that make wonderful gifts ranging from T-shirts to candles to jewelry. They are all available through their on-line store.
Tuesday, January 12 Board Meeting at Liz’s house 6:30pm
One item that’s on sale now is the 2016 American Rose Society Calendar for just $10 plus shipping. This beautiful calendar features wonderfully photographed roses – one for each month! It’s definitely a gift that will be used!
Saturday, January 16 Spring Pruning Demo at Reid Park Rose Garden Beginning at 9:00am Open to the public; please invite your friends and neighbors.
So if you are in need of a great gift idea for your favorite rose enthusiast (or even for yourself), please go to the website at www. rose.org and check out the store (click on Shop).
Remember to “like” us on Facebook–Rose Society of Tucson– and check out our website at www.rosesocietyoftucson.org.
You can also order it on-line here. 2
Thrip Hater – December
Lou’s Plan Of Attack For Rose Ordering
Welcome Back to Returning Members
As we approach the month of December, it is time to consider what roses you want to purchase for the coming year.
Paul and Anneliese Kahn Post Office Box 30066 Tucson AZ 85751 520/ 296-1402
The first order of business is discovering varieties that you want. The best way I have found is to make a wish list every year of roses that have stunning blooms and growth characteristics that do well in the searing heat of Arizona.
December in the Garden
My system of finding terrific roses is usually a five-pronged attack:
Sit back and enjoy the Holidays!
1. Whenever there is a rose show, make sure you attend so you can identify varieties you can’t live without. For many years, you could go to the April Tucson Rose Show staged by The Rose Society of Tucson and the November show by the Green Valley Rose Society. Unfortunately, the Green Valley Rose Society disbanded. But you still can drive up to Phoenix to see the Glendale and Phoenix rose shows in April or the Mesa show in November.
Your roses don’t require a lot of attention in December: • Do not feed your roses. Continue to cut back on watering. You should be down to a once-a-week schedule by the end of the month, if there is no rain. • If you purchased bare root roses and have planted them in pots, it is best to move them to a protected area when the weather gets below freezing (which is just about NOW!). In Arizona no winter protection is required for established roses in the ground. • Start planning which roses you will replace (those that have either died or just aren’t what you want) putting something new in their place, or where you will relocate those which need to be moved. • Reduce watering • Spray for weeds. • Clean and sharpen your pruning and planting tools.
2. Make sure you walk through Mesquite Valley Nursery’s massive collection of several thousand roses. Here you can see the color and growth habits of roses, not only during the spring when they are blooming profusely in early April but also in the summer and fall. 3. Search through rose outlets on the internet to see photographs of roses you may be interested in. Nurseries I routinely look at include Edmunds Roses, Regan Nursery, Wisconsin Roses, K&M Roses and For Love Of Roses which sells Minis and MiniFloras.
January will be a busy month since your pruning needs to be completed by February 10th, so enjoy a well-earned month of relaxation.
4. Ask veteran rose growers in The Rose Society of Tucson for their advice. See the list of Rosarians on the back page. 3
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Jewel Grace
Rose Society of Tucson Buying locally allows you to examine the plants much more thoroughly. Expect to pay a lot of money if you purchase roses at Mesquite Valley. In October, I walked through the rose area of this nursery, and they were selling for nearly $40 a plant when you add tax. Virtually every other nursery that carries roses in Tucson offers less expensive roses that grow just as well.
Rose Ordering, continued from page 3
5. Purchase Horizon Roses 2015. It is the best investment for finding new roses on the market that are superior in bloom form and growth habit. Now in its 32nd year, Horizon Roses is an annual compilation of comments by the nation’s top rose exhibitors on the exhibition potential of the newest hybrid teas, floribundas, miniflora and miniature roses. For most exhibitors, it has long been considered the indispensable guide to buying new show roses.
The roses Magic Garden Nursery sells are as good quality as Harlow’s. Make sure you only purchase varieties that are new and not 2-3 years old. If you get an old rose in a five-gallon pot, the chances are good that the plant will be root bound and not grow well.
Horizon Roses 2015 contains 1,611 reports by 109 reporters from 29 states on the exhibition potential of 209 roses introduced in the last five years. The reports include 36 new roses not mentioned in prior issues. All comments are candid and reported in the words of the reporter.
But you can’t beat the wide selection of roses at Mesquite Valley. They carry varieties that other nurseries in Arizona don’t have. I would highly recommend that people examine roses from Home Depot and Lowes in bare root form which usually arrive in late December or early January. Call to find out precisely when they will arrive because they are packed in plastic bags. The longer they sit outside, the greater the chance of problems developing with your plant especially if new growth starts. I have had great success purchasing roses from these two stores the week they arrive.
Supplementing the comments are individual color photographs of 173 roses. The reports are set forth alphabetically and include statistics of the current show results of the reported varieties. In addition, information is provided on known sources for the reviewed varieties. Horizon Roses 2015 is produced under the direction of editor Bob Martin, one of the top exhibitors in the nation. Horizon Roses 2015 is available in electronic format for Kindle for $7.99. It can be ordered at Amazon.com by going here.
Some people will never recommend these roses for different reasons. But we have grown big plants of St. Patrick, Brandy, Camara, Olympiad and others without a problem. In fact, we have won several Queen of Shows with roses purchased from Home Depot and Lowes.
It also is available from Bob Martin as a PDF file which can be e-mailed to you. Write Bob for more information at: PetRose@aol.com
Purchase Locally Or By Mail Order
Both stores sell No. 1 grade bare root roses which is the only type you should settle for. You simply can’t beat the price of $7 to $9 per plant. They usually carry a number of beautiful varieties that grow well in Tucson. They may not be the most current exhibition varieties, but they typically grow every bit as well as roses purchased from nurseries or by mail order.
In a perfect world, I would purchase all of my roses locally. But the reality is that few of the new exhibition varieties that I would like to grow are sold at local nurseries. So I am forced to mail order. And this process isn’t that difficult of an ordeal. The key is ordering as early as possible once the new catalogs appear on the internet (usually in September) and asking that the roses be shipped at a time between November-January. Wisconsin Roses will ship their roses starting in November which is the ideal time to get them for Tucson so they can grow for a good seven months until the summer heat arrives. But any time up to February 1st is fine for Tucson.
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Randy Scott (Photo by Tom Mayhew)
Thrip Hater – December
Rose Plants For Sale
Rose Ordering, continued from page 4
Soak Your New Roses
The Rose Society of Tucson currently has the following roses for sale. All of them are in one-gallon pots and are ready to move to larger containers or in the ground.
If you have purchased a rose locally in a 5-gallon container, you either transplant the rose in a larger container or put it in the ground in prepared soil.
The cost is $10 for mini/minifloras and $12 for all others. For most of these roses there is only one plant left so first come, first served. Please e‑mail or call Diane Pavlovich with your order.
With bare root roses purchased from Home Depot, Lowes or mail order companies on the internet, there are simple but important procedures that must be followed.
I can bring them to our December 1st meeting or we can make other arrangements. My e-mail is loubaseball@cox.net or 869-4880.
When they arrive by mail or you purchase a bare root plant from Home Depot or Lowes, the first thing you do is take the plant out of its package and take away the packing material. Then submerge the plant in a 5-gallon bucket filled with water up to the bottom of the bud union so the roots and plant become hydrated once again. I usually place the bucket in a darker area of the garage.
Next to the name is a link to a photo and description of the rose for your convenience. Judy Singer has been taking care of these roses all year. Some are leftover from our rose sales last spring. Ambridge Rose http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.184
Only after the roots have soaked in water for 24 hours do you go to the next step. Now put your bare root rose in a 5-gallon plastic pot. The soil mix I prefer is 4 parts Kellog’s Patio Plus potting soil, 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite mixed well. All of these items can either be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes.
Apricot Twist http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.328
Make sure the bud union sits on top of the soil and water well. I usually water these plants once a day during the winter and through the spring. Since the 5-gallon pots are black, it allows the sun to warm up the roots so they grow quicker than if the plant was placed in the ground.
Eugene du Beauharnais http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.2663
Black Jade http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.713 Cinderella http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.1182 Desert Magic http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.39701 Flamingo Dancer http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.65399 French Lace http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.1793 Gartendirektor Otto Linne http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.2909 Halo Today http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.3162
Do not even consider fertilizing your new plant until branches have come out with foliage. At that time, fertilize your plants with half strength fish emulsion (1/2 TBSP to 1 gallon of water) every other week.
Loving Touch http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.3926 Lyda Rose http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.3944 Pride of Oakland http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.4967 Paul Ecke Jr http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.37389.1
Once your new rose plant has dynamic, new growth with more blooms, your plant is off to a great start. At that time, I usually fertilize every other week with Magnum Grow (1 TBSP to 1 gallon of water). Usually you can keep your new plant in a 5-gallon pot until the following December. Then you must transplant it in a larger pot or put it in the ground. —Lou Pavlovich
Paul Neyron http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.4683 Regensburg http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.2314 School Spirit http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.69111 Selfridges Fragrant http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.5679.1 The Imposter http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.43077 — Diane Pavlovich
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Rose Society of Tucson
Mycorrhizae/Mycorrhizal Fungi
of optimum for good plant health. Additionally, native mycorrhizae typically only benefit native plant species. So if this mycorrhizal fungi is so prevalent and they are the dominant microbes, why should we have to add it?
Do the words “rose” and “fungus” in the same sentence give you cold shivers? I recently ran across a mention of Mycorrhizae, a beneficial fungi that can be added to plants. This was new to me. My first question: How to pronounce it? It sounds to me like “My-ko-rye-zi.” You can listen and judge for yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aes0iNyhQ6I i On asking Judy Singer about it I learned this is a subject of recent interest for rose growers. Since it sounded like something our members might also find interesting and useful I did a bit of research, concentrating on the most recent information I could find. I do NOT know anything about this myself. If you’re interested in pursuing the subject further, my sources follow this article.
Well, did you notice the words “undisturbed soils” in the previous paragraph? Is any part of your garden “undisturbed?” Even in soils with naturallyoccurring mycorrhiza, it takes a new plant three to five years to pick up these friendly fungi.
What are Mycorrhizal Fungi? Myco means fungus and the suffix means root, so literally root fungi, a word used to indicate a symbiotic relationship between the two. You can listen to an interview of Dr. Roger Koidee discussing this on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3IGUcvxNM). Mycorrhizal fungi are believed to have developed 400 – 500 million years ago. In the wild, most plants are highly dependent on them as they create a secondary root system that helps the roots to extracts water and nutrients out of the ground. They make the root systems larger, and increase the amount of feeder roots that absorb nutrients and minerals for the plant.
It’s just in the last 10 years that mycorrhizal fungi products have been available to nurseries and gardeners. There are many differences of opinion Crabapple (Malus) root systems: the plant on as to their effectiveness. the right was treated with mycorrhizae. One Influencing factor is that Source: www.pacifichorticulture.org mycorrhizae are living beings. But if they’ve been sitting for months on a garden center shelf or left in direct sunlight where they could overheat and dry out, maybe not.
The relationship between mycorrhizae and plants is a symbiotic one, as both the plant and the fungi benefit. The mycorrhizae help supply the plant with water and nutrients needed for growth, flowering and fruiting, and in exchange receive essential sugars and other compounds supplied by the plant.
A single root tip colonized by Rhizopogon mycorrhizal fungus will branch into a dense, coral-like accumulation of many root tips Source: http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/
Turning specifically to roses, there’s an old saw about never planting roses where other roses have grown unless you replace the soil. Sounds like fun. According to Paul Zimmerman, “It has been proven that roses treated with mycorrhizal fungi thrive in soil where roses used to be.”He gives four methods for applying the spores. 1) Brush them on the roots before planting, 2) Add them to the planting hole, 3) Dip bare root roses in a liquid form 4) Never use chemical drenches or those chemical all-in-one rose fertilizers; they will kill the beneficial fungi in the soil.
More than 90% of plant species form a symbiotic arrangement with beneficial soil fungi called mycorrhizal fungi. In undisturbed soils mycorrhizae account for 60% to 80% of the microbial biomass. While present in city soils, present species and fungi numbers are less than one-fourth
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Continued on page 7
Thrip Hater – December The Telegraph - Gardening advice: Friendly Fungi (11/7/15) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/3350325/Gardeningadvice-Friendlyfungi.html
Mycorrhizae/Mycorrhizal Fungi, continued from page 6
He notes that as living things, mycorrhizal fungi need organic matter and nutrients to do their job, so recommends adding lots of well rotted manure and/or compost along with the fungi. Another source stated “Whereas roses are normally planted with lashings of manure, it is better to wait for a year or so when using the fungi.” Looks like that’s a subject for further discussion, as that source stated mycorrhizal fungi may actually be less effective on frequently cultivated soils that have been heavily fertilized and manured.
The Nurtient Company - VENDOR https://www.thenutrientcompany.com/horticulture_articles/what-ismycorrhizae/ Sissinghurst Castle - Planting roses (3/5/15) https://sissinghurstcastle.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/planting-roses/
A British website states that they’ve always added bone meal when planting their roses, because bone meal is high in phosphorus and calcium. These nutrients are particularly important in root growth and often difficult for plants to access.
Royal Horticultural Society - Mycorrhizal fungi (2015) https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=633 EcoBeneficial Interview–Dr. Roger Koide on Mycorrhizal Fungi (12/29/13) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr3IGUcvxNM
However according to the site, research has shown that soils high in phosphorus may actually suppress mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) now does not recommend the addition of phosphorus rich fertilizers. There are more links on this subject at the source (in the list following this article).
Pacific Horticulture http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/mycorrhizal-fungi-natures-key-toplant-survival-and-success/ —Donna Kamper, Thrip Hater Editor
There was occasional mention that apparently certain mycorrhiza are specific to certain plants. Products that claim their mycorrhizal fungi specifically targets roses are now available. Unfortunately so far I’ve found nothing on the subject of identifying different mycorrhiza strains, nor anything about which strain(s) would be most beneficial for roses. If you have personal information on this interesting fungi, an article for the Thrip Hater on the subject would be quite welcome. Please contact the Editor at donna@kamper.com.
Sources
David Austin Roses - David Austin mycorrhizal Fungi page (11/06/15) https://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Advanced.asp?PageId=2153 A Way to Garden - Feed the soil: my experiment with mycorrhizae (7/31/15) http://awaytogarden.com/feed-the-soil-my-experiment-with-mycorrhizae/ Plant Success - Mycorrhizae Gardening Blog (9/22/15) http://www.plant-success.com/mycorrhizae-gardening-blog/ Paul Zimmerman Roses - Rose Replant Disease (October 2015) http://paulzimmermanroses.com/care/plantingroses/rose-replant-disease/ 7
Source: Utah Nursery and Landscape Association http://www.utahgreen.org/
Rose Society of Tucson
Growing Roses In Containers
Four Pot System
1-Gallon Pots These are only used for starting new plants from root stock or starting roses from Wisconsin Roses that have one bud eye. Sometimes the root system is big enough with Wisconsin Roses that you can put them in 5-gallon pots.
Prior to moving into the house we now live in we had a home with over 250 roses. Probably 80% of these were in the ground. We honestly didn’t give much thought to growing roses in pots because we preferred having them in the ground.
5-Gallon Pots Used for bare root roses which allow them to grow quicker than being in the ground. We usually start new plants in November and December when the weather is cool. These black plastic pots allow the sun to warm up the roots in the pot so they grow faster. Once plants get big enough, they are transplanted into the larger 18 ½” diameter pots. Once those grow large enough, they are transplanted into the 24” pots for their final home.
When we moved to the west side of Tucson 15 years ago we purchased a house with a beautiful winter lawn and four relatively young citrus trees in the back yard. I couldn’t wait to get started with our new rose garden.
Reality Check
Within a month of being at our new home, all four citrus trees died.
18½” Diameter White Pots Final home for Mini and MiniFlora roses and also used to transplant 5-gallon pot roses into.
We discovered that the planting hole for each of these plants was no larger than a 5-gallon pot. Outside of this small hole, the soil was caliche and big boulders. The previous owners watered four times a day to give the appearance of a lush, tropical paradise. It was absolute fraud.
24” Diameter Orange Pots Strictly used as final home for Hybrid Tea roses, Floribundas and Grandifloras at our home. These could also be used for Old Garden Roses, Climbers, Shrubs and other big roses like this.
When a fence company came in to construct a new wooden fence, they broke two auger bits! We had two choices…grow roses in raised beds or in pots.
1-gallon, 5-gallon, 18½”diameter and 24” diameter pots are all you need.
We went with pots and started learning everything we could about growing roses this way. Diane in the Pavlovich rose garden in mid-September just before fall pruning.
Plastic Rules In Pots
Diane and I have purchased every type of pot available over the years. Many pots will deteriorate over the years and are expensive. Many are heavy. Some don’t even have holes in the bottom. With that being said, why not use something that is light in weight (plastic) that can be easily moved. Another consideration is taking out the rose and transplanting it in another larger pot. 8
Thrip Hater – December The walls of plastic containers can be pushed in to break the roots free of the pot. You can’t do this with many other pots. If you need to “root prune” due to roots wrapping around the inside of the pot, plastic pots are easier to remove plants from to perform this task.
deteriorate quickly. Many have been broken over the years. Some day down the road, I will have to purchase same size replacements.
Soil For Pots
The Key To Unlocking Dynamic Growth Soil is composed of three different types of particles: sand, silt and clay. These three components can be distinguished by their particle sizes. Sand has relatively large particle sizes ranging from 0.2 to 0.05 mm diameter. Silt has slightly smaller particle sizes than sand, usually 0.05 to 0.002 mm diameter. Clay has the smallest particle size of all, from 0.002 mm or less in diameter.
Three Important Absolutes
As we gained experience with roses in pots, it became apparent that there were three absolutes we had to follow. First: make sure the pots are absolutely level. I use a carpenter’s level to make sure the pots are level front to back and side to side. The reason? When you water your roses, soil will wash out of the pot on one side if it isn’t level. Also, the roots may not be fully soaked on one side if the pot is tilting one way or another and not level. Second: some object must be put next to the pot on the west side to prevent the roots from overheating on hot days. Roots can cook in a pot if the west wall of the pot isn’t protected from the sun. An easy way to accomplish this is to put an empty pot the same size as the pot you are protecting on the west side with a rock inside so it doesn’t blow away. That way, the entire west face of the pot will be protected.
Dr. Tommy Cairns of Studio City CA, one of the great rose exhibitors of our time, feels the relative proportions of these three basic components determine the texture of soil which, in turn, plays one of the most important roles in horticulture.
Third: protect your plant with chicken wire around the pot, if necessary. We have pack rats in our area that will gnaw off new stems in a diagonal just like pruning shears. We have had at least five plants killed because of excessive pack rat attacks on new basal breaks. Once the stems mature, pack rats leave the plants alone. But young plants are susceptible.
Sandy loam is the preferred soil texture for growing roses and can contain 50-70% sand, 0-50% silt and 0-20% clay.
Soil Texture
Best Pot Ever Made For Roses
Because of the ideal particle size in sandy loam, the pore spacing between individual soil particles allows both water and oxygen to be accommodated. For healthy growth characteristics, about 10-12% of the pores should not be occupied by water.
Les Hayt of the Rose Society of Tucson introduced us to 24” diameter plastic pots that will last close to 20 years because of the chemical structure the pot is made of. The adobe-colored pot is made by AKROMills out of Akron OH. For 1-gallon and 5-gallon pots we simply use black plastic nursery pots we acquire through the years. We constantly move roses in and out of these pots, so it is no problem if they go bad. We have many other replacements ready to fill in. The 18½” diameter pots were purchased at Walmart years ago for $1 each because they were closing them out. They are poorly made and 9
Kellog’s Patio Plus Potting Soil
Rose Society of Tucson (minis and big roses). I usually put one handful of Osmocote on the soil of each rose in pots. Then I put one handful of Milorganite on the soil of the roses in pots. Water well.
Soil Recommendation For Pots
For roses in pots, my favorite soil mix that is essentially sandy loam produces explosive root growth because of its texture and water holding capacity. Plus, you can’t overwater your plants with this formula.
On the first Saturday in June, July, August and September, I put one handful of Milorganite on the soil of the rose plants and water well. That’s it for the summer!
It includes: • 4 parts Kellog’s Patio Plus (see photo on previous page) potting soil (obtained at Lowes) • 1 part peat moss • 1 part perlite
Spring Fertilizing From the first Saturday in February to the last Saturday in April, we fertilize every week. It takes about 20 minutes to fertilize our 40 pots in this manner. The results are well worth the effort as you see dynamic growth and hundreds of blooms with long stems.
I have tried at least 15 different potting soil mixes over the years with various results. Kellog’s Patio Plus simply works the best but it is a little low in peat moss and perlite, so I add a little more of these to the mix. Kellog’s Patio Plus is comprised of: • Composed forest products. • Composed poultry manure. • Bat guano. • Worm castings.
Fall Fertilizing
From the middle of September to the middle of November, we fertilize every week for maximum growth and bloom.
• Composted rice hulls. • Hydrolized feather meal. • Kelp meal. • Plus more.
What We Use Week 1: Magnum Rose Food (1 TBSP to 1 gallon of water) per plant. Week 2: Fish Emulsion (1 TBSP to 1 gallon of water) per plant. Repeat.
Fertilizing Roses In Pots
Should You Water After Fertilizing?
Roses absolutely love to eat. And giving them a consistent, well-balanced diet will result in healthy roses all year long.
It has never made any sense to me to water immediately after applying liquid fertilizer. Allow expensive liquid fertilizer to go to work and be taken up by the root system before you flush it downward with water! But there are rules attached to that statement.
On a weekend we plan to fertilize, I water the soil well of all roses in pots Friday after work (about 5:30pm). Early the next morning, we fertilize. We never deviate from this procedure.
Magnum Rose Food and Fish Emulsion
Above 85 Degrees If you apply liquid fertilizer on the soil of your potted roses early in the morning, we have found that new growth on roses will wilt if you wait to water after 3:30pm the same day. Give the soil in the pots a light watering early in the afternoon. Below 75 Degrees If the temperature is below 75 degrees, we typically don’t water pots the same day after liquid fertilizer has been applied to the soil early in the morning unless there are heavy winds. We wait until the next day.
Summer Fertilizing In Pots On the first Saturday in May, we put down Osmocote 159-12 (6 month fertilizer) on the soil of every potted rose
76-84 Degrees You should be able to water your roses late in the day you apply liquid fertilizer to the soil of your potted roses (after 3:30pm) But monitor 10
Thrip Hater – December one. When the first 55-gallon container was drained of fertilizer, he picked the pump up, deposited it in the next one and resumed fertilizing his plants again. It goes quickly and efficiently with no sore back!
your plants closely for wilt. At any sign of wilting, water everything.
How We Fertilize The Easy Way
When not in use, the submersible pump is put in a 5-gallon bucket along with its electrical cord. Then the hose, which is connected to the pump, is wrapped around the 5-gallon bucket which sits in a 32-gallon container and stored in the garage until it is needed again.
Many years ago, we learned about the system that Cal Hayes of Santa Ana CA used to fertilize hundreds of roses in his yard. He used thick 55-gallon plastic containers filled with properly diluted liquid fertilizer.
About Hoses
The hose that connects to the submersible pump is only 50’ long. That is the perfect length for our small garden of 40 potted roses.
Then he placed a submersible pump in the bottom of the first 55-gallon container. He had a hose connected to it that went out to his roses with a water wand on the end. After the extension cord was plugged in, he simply hand-fertilized each rose for about 10 seconds and moved on to the next
Over many years of trial and error, we have found the best hose for your money is the Sears Craftsman Premium rubber hose with a lifetime guarantee. We have already brought it in twice for free replacements with no questions asked. It is a bit more than a cheap hose, but well worth it. It is built like a tank. The hose that goes to our main water valve in back of the house is 100’ long.
Thick 55-gallon plastic container
Shade Cloth Structure For Roses
For years, we had roses in the full sun during the summer with no reprieve from the sun. And every September, you could tell they had no shade by looking at them with sparse, burnt foliage throughout the garden.
The Shade Cloth Structure
We noticed that other people in Tucson naturally had shade from big trees on the west as their roses looked much healthier entering September. There were a few rose growers in Phoenix who experimented with 11
Rose Society of Tucson using shade cloth structures above their roses to prevent roses from struggling and dying during the summer.
Grace Seward Shared by Rich Baer Portland Rose Society
We came up with our present structure. It has made all the difference in the world in getting roses through the summer in great shape. We haven’t lost one rose during the summer in the past 20 years using this system. In fact, they have done very well.
The Shade Cloth Structure
After looking at a number of structures, we decided to use a system which was portable and made of galvanized metal which wouldn’t rust. Essentially it’s like putting together Tinker Toys with thumb screws. A company called Tucson Tools at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet sold us all the brackets and 10’-long lengths of galvanized conduit in a kit. These heavy duty poles are one inch in diameter. The bottom plates which sit on the ground are held firmly by galvanized tent stakes which are hammered through pre-drilled holes in the plates. We needed a 20’ x 30’ structure to cover our entire garden. This kit had six 10’ x 10’ structures. They were all connected together with the fixtures, bringing the entire structure together as one.
Shade Cloth
After doing some research, we found a company in Cornelia GA called PAK Unlimited. We purchased the shade cloth from them.
RST Membership Fees Due!
It featured 63% shade. Grommets were placed every foot on all edges (doubled up in the corners) with a cost of $126. Unfortunately the postage was $80. But it has held up incredibly well.
The Rose Society of Tucson is currently accepting 2016 membership dues now. Payment should be made by February 1, 2016 to insure you continue to receive the Thrip Hater. Dues are $20 per household. Please fill out the form below. Make a check payable to the Rose Society of Tucson and mail to our treasurer Judy Singer, 1631 E. Calle Altivo, Tucson, AZ 85718 or bring to the next meeting.
The final length and width of the shade cloth (nearly 20’ x 30’) is measured to be one inch short of the inside walls of the conduit. This allows the shade cloth to be stretched against the conduit using ball bungee cords.
Name(s): Address:
We have had 70 MPH winds, and the structure doesn’t even move. The winds go through the 63% shade cloth easily, and the one-inch diameter poles are extremely sturdy. —Lou Pavlovich
City:
State:
Phone Number: Email (to receive newsletter):
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Zip:
2015 Officers
Visit us at RoseSocietyofTucson.org
President:. . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Pavlovich Vice President:. . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Strong Secretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . Janalyn Lindley Treasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Judy Singer Past President: . . . . . . . . . . Terry Swarttz Members at Large: . . . . . Lauren Kettenbach . . . . . . . .Barbara Bolton . . . . . . Vinnie Baiocchetti
Committees and Chairs Rose Show: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Strong Reid Park Rep.:. . . . . . . . . Diane Pavlovich Hospitality: . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzanne Hayt Membership: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vacant Membership Directory: . . . . . . . Liz Strong Publicity: . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lou Pavlovich Raffle: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Strong Sales:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vinnie Baiocchetti Thrip Hater Editor: . . . . . . . . Donna Kamper Web Master:. . . . . . . . . . . . Todd Wickizer
Consulting Rosarians Consulting Rosarians are rose growers who have met the qualifications set by the American Rose Society. They are here to help you with your rose growing problems. Call on them when you have any questions. Marylou Coffman. . . . . . . . . . . 480-926-3064 Shirley Dattilo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887-6966 Pam Henderson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529-1747 Donaldina Joung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398-8151 Lauren Kettenbach . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296-3093 Liz Strong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 797-7890 Suzanne Hayt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624-0931 Les Hayt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624-0931
Floral Still Life – George Cochran Lambdin (1830-1896)