February 2018

February 10 Meeting

Please note time change. We will not have a regular structured meeting this month. We will begin at approximately 8 a.m. with Baxter Williams, Claude Graves and Frank Hover conducting 15 minute demonstrations on pruning the different types of roses. YES –NOT ALL

ROSES ARE PRUNED ALIKE! After that we will go into the garden and prune the many roses for “Spring Bloom”. This is also; “Volunteer Day” and members from other societies will be coming to the gardens to help get the gardens looking beautiful. A bag lunch in the garden will be provided for the volunteers. Please come dressed for the occasion – gloves, old clothes, work jacket, and pruners. KiKi Fontenot will be doing a presentation from 9 -10:30 a.m. on Vegetable gardening and will also have her book for sale and will autograph it for you. Her program begins at 9:00 a.m. Time to pay Dues It is time to pay your annual dues for the Shreveport Rose Society. They are $10.00 per person for the year. We will get on a regular schedule to pay dues at the first of the 2019. Those of you that joined in November and December will not be asked to pay dues until January of 2019. Mid-Winter Workshop - Lafayette Our annual workshop was a great success. On Friday evening our guest speaker was Greg Grant, Texas A & M University Horticulturist & Co-Author of The Rose Rustlers. He entertained the audience with stories of his experiences in rose rustling. Don Adlong of the Conway, AR Rose Society discussed Soil, pH, Air, Water and Fertilizer. (Continued next page)

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Dr. Alan Henn, Mississippi State University discussed Chemicals and Chemical safety in the morning session. After lunch Dr. Henn discussed the Identification and Management of rose disease issues. If you were lucky – to answer or ask a question he would throw you a candy bar. Steve Roussell, hybridizer from Lafayette discussed Creating New Roses. He has registered his first rose (Clovie) and should have that variety available next year. Ken Kelley of the Northeast La. Rose Society presented a very informative program on Mycorrhizal – A Fungus for your Roses. “Our Passion for Roses” was presented by Kelly Texada and Billie Flynn of CenLA and B.J. Abshire of Acadiana Rose Society

Award Presentations: Dr. Allen Owings, Gulf District Director presented Susan Burks of the Lake Charles Rose Society

the Outstanding Consulting Rosarian Award during the award presentation. Marilyn Wellan presented Peggy Martin of the New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society with the Silver Honor Medal – which is the highest Award presented at the District Level. Peggy is on the right.

ARS Receives Grant The American Rose Society was one of 11 recipients awarded a Grant from the Northwest Louisiana Master Gardeners. The ARS’s grant of $700 will go towards the new Cleo Barnwell Garden of Pollinators and rose Companions, which is one of the gardens within the American Rose Center. The garden will provide an abundance of pollen and nectar with the goal of attracting and sustaining birds, bees and butterflies in the garden.

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PRUNING

Valentine Day in Louisiana not only brings thoughts of romantic cards and red roses, it also signals it is

time to start pruning roses. Pruning roses prevents a spindly, overgrown tangle of unproductive

branches. The worst thing that can be done to a rose is not to prune.

The confusion about pruning is caused by the fact there are many varieties of roses, hybrid teas, old

garden roses, shrubs, once-blooming varieties, miniatures, etc. and each much be pruned differently.

However, the goal for pruning all varieties is the same: control the size, create a pleasing shape and

produce a healthy plant for lots of beautiful blooms.

Control the Size

What you cut will grow back. What you leave will

grow taller.

Prune according to the desired blooming height.

The amount that can usually be remove

Old Garden Roses - 1/4 - 1/3

Hybrid Teas - 2/3

Miniatures - 2/3

Modern Shrubs - 1/2

Floribundas - 1/4 - 1/3

Polyanthas - 1/3 - 1/2

Control the Shape

Creating an empty space in the center of the plant

will allow sunlight and air circulation inside the bush

for a healthier plant. Create a vase shape.

Pruning stems to outward facing bud eyes will

insure new growth is directed to sunlight instead of

inside the plant.

GROOM YOUNG PLANTS

Young and newly planted roses should be merely

groomed; remove dead/damaged stems. A few two

year old plants may have branches strong enough to

produce multiple healthy stems encouraged by

pruning, however careful consideration should be

taken before a young plant is reduced of any

branches.

Fertilize After Pruning

Apply fertilizers after pruning. Of course, there are varied fertilizer formulas that produce successful

results. Some rosarians prefer using slow release granules (Osmocote, etc), or a 3-2-1 formulated

fertilizer such as 18-12-6, others prefer a balanced formula such as 8-8-8. To this they add 2 Tbs Epsom

salts per bush, a cup of alfalfa, fish meal, blood meal, gypsum, aged manure and it seems anything else they

can imagine. The goal is to feed the new foliage and buds that follow pruning. .

http://www.rose.org/rose-care-articles/fertilizers-when-and-how/

Broadcast the fertilizer either under or on top of mulch. If the fertilizer was spread on top of the

mulch, gently scratch/rake through the mulch to work the fertilizer down to the ground. Take care not

to dig into the feeder roots that are near the surface.

Special Thanks to Billie Flynn of the CenLa Rose Society for the two pages on “Pruning and After Pruning”

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Remove Leaves after Pruning

The purpose of removing leaves after pruning is a precaution. If

you remove the leaves, you remove any fungus or pests/eggs

overwintering on the leaves. Winter and freezes do not kill blackspot

fungus.

Options:

Remove all leaves to remove 90% of overwintering fungus

spores. Follow with an application of horticulture oil mixed

with a contact fungicide to all surfaces of the stems and

surrounding area to smother pests/eggs and kill any existing

fungus spores. Having all foliage removed better exposes the

stems for a complete coverage of oil fungicide.

Remove only the old leaves allowing new growth to remain.

The old leaves are going to turn yellow and fall off anyway.

These are the most likely leaves to have been exposed to

blackspot fungus spores and harbor pests/eggs. Follow with

an application of horticulture oil mixed with a contact

fungicide to top and underside of remaining leaves, stems

and surrounding area.

Don’t remove any leaves. Follow pruning with a thorough

application of horticulture oil mixed with a contact fungicide

to top and underside of all leaves.

Spray After Pruning

Many rosarians are moving into a no spray

schedule, others spray only a few times in

early spring and late fall while others keep

to a strict two week schedule. If you do

spray, spray the top and undersides of the

leaves, the stems plus the surrounding

ground.

Fungicides are most effective when they are

applied before infection. Clean up, fertilize

and spray as you prune.

Fungicides alone do not kill insects.

Using a contact fungicide on new growth

helps to kill any existing spores while

forming a protective shield on the surface

of the leaves which is rendered less

effective with humidity, rain and sunlight.

Systemic fungicides on the other hand are

absorbed into the plant and while they do

not kill fungus spores, they work to prevent

the growth of the fungus. These different

type fungicides can be mixed together.

Replenish Mulch After Pruning

Replenish the layer of mulch throughout the rose beds before

spring weeds and grass emerge. A 3” layer of leaves, pine straw,

bark, etc will smother weeds and retain moisture.

Be Diligent After Pruning Tender, new growth is highly susceptible to

infection by fungus spores. Powdery mildew is

a spring time problem in our area. Many

fungicides are labeled to kill powdery mildew.

Use them to treat fungal attacks before they

get out of hand.

Water after Pruning Pruning, fertilizing, spraying and watering go together. Never

fertilize a dry plant; never spray fungicide on a dry plant.

Always water-in dry fertilizers. Dry fertilizers actually absorb

moisture from the surrounding soil.

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Up-Coming Events February 10 --- Regular Meeting 8:00 a.m. This is the date for our annual pruning party. Demonstration on proper pruning techniques Bring pruners, gloves and work jacket! Learn the techniques on how to prune roses. Bag lunch in the garden for those that help. March meeting ----- March 10 -10 a.m. Guest Speaker - Marilyn Wellan ARS National Miniature rose show in Jacksonville, FL – May 4-6

Officers President – Vice. Pres. – Dr. Seborn Woods Secretary – Terry Blackman Assist. Sec – Vickie Wallace Treasurer – Gloria McClure Membership Chair – Jon Corken Hospitality Chair – Karen Durham Program Chair – Frank Hover Newsletter editors – Flora & Frank Hover

Consulting Rosarians in SRS

Frank & Flora Hover 588-3145 Lou Osburn 294-0642 Marilyn Wellan 318-445-6006

Visit our up-dated Gulf District Web Site

http://www.gulfdistrictrose.org/index.html

Visit Garrison’s Nursery

http://www.garrisonsnursery.com/index.html

For a list of their Weeks & Star Roses