RAMBLIN ROSE PRESIDENT S MESSAGE--John Fleek

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1 CHARLESTON ROSE SOCIETY A member of the Colonial District of the American Rose Society An Affiliate of the RAMBLIN ROSE PRESIDENT S MESSAGE--John Fleek What a summer we have had since the last newsletter in June. The flooding was unimaginable. I volunteered to help out one day in Clendenin and the destruction was beyond belief. And then there I was in late July bemoaning the fact that we had no roses for the long overdue summer rose picnic. Now I am complaining about a seemingly endless period of 90 degree weather. I think I need to revisit my priorities in life. Although we had two downpours the evening of the picnic at our home, we still had a good time indoors. And in between the storms, some of the members were able to walk in the gardens and look at the roses. I wish there had been more to see. There were 18 people present at the party and that was well above the head count the last time we hosted a garden party so we were pleased. I hope everyone had a good time. Some of the ladies wore their flower-adorned garden hats even though we didn t ask for them to do so. It was a nice touch and improved the atmosphere of the party. Thank you, ladies. It s amazing that an area can have 9-11 inches of rain in one day and still have dry spells later in the summer. Fortunately for gardeners, we have not had long periods without rain this year and the flowers and yards have been pretty. Our roses are looking much better now than the day of the party. The deer visited the garden about a week before the party and feasted on the hybrid teas. They did not return until a couple of days ago. I am misting periodically with various products that seem to keep them away, but you just have to keep doing it because you never know when they will decide to travel through your yard looking for a handout. When they came through the other day they got quite a few new blooms plus Diana s sweet potato plant and some other potted flowers she had just put out. Last spring I suggested several things our Society should try to do to get more involved with the public. In May, Terry Phillips suggested a small rose garden at the Police Memorial on the West Side. He and Linda Boggess wrote a proposal for the Charleston Beautification committee. At the June meeting, Lynda Grass proposed a larger garden at the Bollinger Funeral Home on West Side. She had worked this out in great detail. I finally located both sites and feel that both are good choices for a garden. Terry and I attended the Charleston Beautification committee s meeting in early August and Terry gave a very good presentation. The committee had just created a new procedure for allowing individuals/ groups to build and maintain gardens in the City and we were the first ones to apply through the new procedure. The committee members seemed excited about our proposal and will be voting on it soon. Volume 33, No. 5 August 2016 UPCOMING EVENTS TUESDAY, August 23 Monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1600 Kanawha Boulevard, East. Peter Harris will be our speaker: Fungal Ecology: They re All Part Fungus. Peggy Soltis will provide refreshments. September 30-October 2-- Colonial District Fall Rose Fest--Arlington, Virginia; more details inside this newsletter. Inside this issue: President s Message 1 Upcoming Events 1 This and That 2 Colonial District Rose Fest 3 Roses in Review 3 Info about Rose Fest 4 Rose Fest Schedule of Events 5 Rose Fest Registration Form 6 Downy Mildew 7 Rose of the Month 8 Consulting Rosarians 8 continued on page 7

2 This and that Lynda Grass First, I want to thank John and Diana Fleek for opening their home to us on a stormy evening June 26 for a garden party that mainly occurred inside their house instead of the garden! We ran into heavy downpours on the way from the West Side to pick up Donna in South Charleston, and it let up just about the time we got to St. Albans to pick up Phyllis. Once arriving in Cross Lanes, dark clouds gathered and thunder boomed--we rushed inside the house before we got drenched! It was a great evening, though, and a garden tour was made after that second bout of rain. I think 18 or 19 people were in attendance, and we had plenty of good food and conversation. I told you last month that Steve was planning on exhibiting in the National Mini/ Miniflora show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the end of July. That didn t happen. The heat was just too intense and our roses wouldn t have been anywhere near show quality, so the plans were scuttled. He ll begin working on pruning the roses for the fall District show to be held in Fairfax, Virginia, at the end of September. More details about that meeting, which the Arlington Rose Foundation as deemed Rose Fest, are throughout this newsletter. At last month s gathering, I asked for the Society s support of establishing a public rose garden on the empty lot beside Bollinger Funeral Home on Charleston s West Side. Mr. Bollinger had been very receptive to my presentation to him for the rose beds, and I told him I needed to have further discussion with the membership before we were all in. Those in attendance at the June meeting were very excited about these plans, and so we will proceed. Two raised rose beds will be constructed this fall, and roses will be planted in the spring. This is not a one-person task: it is a membership task. When work needs to be done, the membership will be notified and those who are able should make themselves available. We ll set up a schedule for maintenance as we move forward. Mr. Bollinger has graciously told me that he will provide a water source (we ll need to have a very long garden hose) and possibly some storage in a shed that s on the property. The bylaws of our Society call for us to have a public rose garden in order to educate the public about the hobby of rose growing. We haven t been able to do this since the Sunrise Museum was sold to a private law firm several years ago. This is a golden opportunity for us that I hope everyone will remain enthusiastic about as it moves forward. Hopefully it will also gain us some new members. Enough business. Our rose garden looks rather puny right now--the excessive heat and humidity of July/August has really beaten them down. While we have blooms, they are small and don t always look like the same ones we have in the spring and fall. Our battle with Japanese beetles was short. Steve has been diligent in spraying water on the undersides of the rose leaves to deter spider mites. We have some fungal disease, but it s just very difficult to keep ahead of it with the type of weather we re having. I don t know when the last time has been that we ve had so many continuous weeks (not days) of high humidity and heat. You know it s going to be a difficult day when you go out to get the newspaper at 6:00 in the morning and the air is just oppressive and full of dampness, and the temperature is already in the mid-70s or higher, with no breeze (cool or otherwise) to be felt. Our air conditioner has done nothing but run. I m sure that Appalachian Power has been doing a happy dance! When you re able, deadhead your roses and pull off diseased leaves. Work to keep your beds as clean as possible to prevent fostering fungal diseases. Pull weeds. Watch for sales on mulch (yes, it s happening now). Also watch the garden areas of stores for clearances of garden products. Most stores don t want to have to put this stuff into back rooms, so they ll mark it down to get rid of it. You can get some really good deals on things that will be perfectly good to use next year. In mid-september, start preparing your roses for fall. You should back off feeding your roses a high source of nitrogen. Remain diligent with your spray schedule. Remove diseased leaves and canes from your roses/beds. Stop deadheading your roses or cutting them back. You should pull off the petals, leaving the stamens and peduncle to signal your roses that it s time to start preparing for winter. If this intense heat continues, make sure to monitor the amount of rain you get in your garden and water accordingly. Just like people, roses need water to survive. Many of us have had a lot of rain this season, but some have not. Peter Harris is our speaker on a topic that we re all dealing with: fungus! Peggy Soltis will be providing refreshments this month! Come out to the meeting and bring a friend. P A G E 2

3 COLONIAL DISTRICT ROSE FEST! September 30, October 1 & 2 Hyatt Regency - Fairfax, VA The Arlington Rose Foundation will be hosting the District fall rose show and meeting in Fairfax, Virginia, beginning on September 30 and running through October 2. The Foundation has been working hard to offer a fun-filled weekend not only for those who are planning to exhibit their roses, but also for those who would like to learn more about rose growing, using roses to beautify their homes (arrangements, etc.), and rose photography. The room rate is outstanding for this area ($85), and the registration amount will depend on how many activities you participate in. Speakers on Saturday include John Smith, an outstanding exhibitor and rose hybridizer from Maryland. John has brought us many beautiful roses (Randy Scott, Snuffy, Sunny Sundays, Dina Gee, Babies Blush). ARS National Photography Chairman Curtis AuMiller will also be talking about rose photography on Saturday (this is a hands-on session--bring your camera!), and the banquet speaker will be Lynn Hunt, an international judge and author. The agenda and registration form are included in this newsletter, and also can be accessed at at the District Meetings and Shows sidebar. The events are being held at the Hyatt Inn Fairfax, which is located in Fairfax (Northern Virginia). Deadline for registration is September 14. Please check the District website for more details, including directions to the hotel. Roses in review The annual Roses in Review forms were in the July/August American Rose magazine. Your ratings are due in to District Coordinator Pam Powers by September 26. You may also rate your roses online at If you don t have the July/August magazine or computer access, ask one of your Consulting Rosarians (see page 8) for copies of the forms. You can also go to This is a quicker way to go online and enter your rose review. Consulting Rosarians should remember that they are expected to submit the form as part of their obligation. You don t have to be a Consulting Rosarian to do this evaluation, however. All rose growers are encouraged to participate in the review. If you would like to do so, any of the CRs listed on page 8 of this newsletter would be happy to assist you! P A G E 3

4 Colonial District Rose Fest Hosted by Arlington Rose Foundation Horticulture competition over 70 categories. Bring lots of fragrance for public voting in two fragrance categories and to support Roses for Noses Seminar. Photography competition Take photos this spring and summer in 5 categories: exhibition form, sprays, open bloom stamens showing, gardens, and roses with critters. Design competition Fulfill your artistic sensibilities among 10 categories by preparing your design base the night before and pop your roses in during prep time. Growing advice shared by the best growers in our District. Photo Ops with a wall of roses that we all will build with our extra roses, so bring lots. Seminars, workshops, and demonstrations in our educational room. Silent Auction, Raffle, Vendors, and Banquet Held at the Hyatt Regency in Fairfax, VA. Room rates $85.00 plus tax. Reservations at before September 14; refer to Colonial District Rose Fest room block. Co-chairpersons: Bill Toth, btoth1000@aol.com; Pam Powers, pam1powers@aol.com. Invite your friends to join you for your Rose Fest weekend! Saturday, October 1, 2016 Banquet Dinner Menu Salad Rainbow Mixed Greens Salad with wrapped cucumber, cherry tomatoes, caramelized pecans, dried cranberries, and a strawberry vinaigrette. Warm rolls and fresh butter Main Course Your choice of: Dessert French-Cut Airline Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breast stuffed with eggplant, served with Parmesan risotto, grilled asparagus, topped off with Lemon Butter Beurre Blanc - $65 Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Lemon Caper Cream Sauce, served with Three Cheese Polenta, and mixed Fall Veggies - $55 Penne Pasta Primavera served with Jumbo Shrimp and mixed Roasted Veggies, with a White Wine Butter Sauce, and Garlic Bread - $55 Grilled Portabella Mushroom served with yellow and red peppers, on top of Angel Hair Pasta with house-made Marinara Sauce, crumbled with Feta Cheese - $50 Chef Cesar s signature Coppa Pistachio-layered dessert. If you have special dietary needs, please communicate that on your registration document. P A G E 4

5 Colonial District Rose Fest - Tentative Schedule of Events Friday, September 30 3:00-6:00 p.m. Registration and Information Desk Opens 4:00 p.m. Silent Auction and Raffle Sales Open 5:30-8:45 p.m. 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Docent-led Tour with Richard Smith. Pre-registration required. 5:30-8:00 p.m. Create your own Design Workshop with certified coaches Janice Sellars and Curtis AuMiller. Sandwich fare and beverages served. Held at Merrifield s Garden Center. Pre-registration required. Saturday, October 1 8:30-10:00 a.m. Judges continental breakfast served 5:45-10:00 a.m. Prep room open Exhibitors coffee/tea, energy bars served in prep area; otherwise breakfast on your own 10:00-1:00 p.m. Judging Commences 11:00 - Noon Hybridizing Roses, with nationally-acclaimed exhibitor and hybridizer Speaker John Smith 1:00-6:00 p.m. Show open to public 12:00-4:30 p.m. Information desk and rose sales open 2:00-3:30 p.m. Make & Take Workshop, Create your own corsages and head gear with Certified Experts Nancy Redington and Janice Sellars. Advanced registration and fee required. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Fun with Rose Photography, Hands-on Practice with National Photography Chairman Curtis AuMiller 4:30-5:30 p.m. Rose Show Awards 6:15-7:15 p.m. Social Hour with Cash Bar 7:15 p.m. Banquet with Guest Speaker Lynn Hunt, International Certified Judge and Author 8:00 p.m. Silent Auction and Raffle Sales Close After hours Director s Suite Social Sunday, October 2 Breakfast on your own 8:30-10:30 a.m. Colonial District Business Meeting 9:30-11:00 a.m. Inside Look at Rose Exhibits, private tours for pre-registered Garden Clubs and Church groups 11:00 - Noon Gardens of the World, with Lynn Hunt, International Judge & Author of The Dirt Diaries Noon - 4:00 p.m. Show opens to Public 12:15-1:15 p.m. Roses for Noses, Guest Speaker Certified Consulting Rosarian and Judge, Pam Powers 4:00 p.m. Close of Show. Exhibitors may claim their exhibits. P A G E 5

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7 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE--continued from page 1 Terry s plan was to plant the garden next spring. The City would not be able help with expenses. The land is the property of the State and is maintained by the City. I think the City workers would help with the planting, but the maintenance would be ours. The City would mow the grass around the monument and the roses. This leaves us with a good problem. We have not one, but two suitable sites. The question is whether we can handle both or even one garden. We will have a business meeting at the end of our August gathering to discuss this. Since we are trying to limit business meetings, we may also discuss whether or not to hold a rose show next year. Put on your thinking caps and be ready to discuss both issues. After a long absence from rose shows, Diana and I will be attending the Colonial District meeting in Fairfax, VA, in October and possibly entering the show. We also have two rose shows to judge in Virginia this fall. At long last we may get to see some beautiful roses. Our experiment with roses on fortuniana rootstock is finally showing a little promise. All three of the roses we purchased were hybridized by John Smith. The roses were grown at K&M Roses nursery. They came with very small canes and a small bud union and were supported by a small bamboo rod. We still have the rods in place as the bushes are growing now and producing some small blooms, but the main canes are still too small to support the plants by themselves. Two of the bushes have finally produced a basal break. Russ and Cheryl Jones started growing roses on this root stock last year and said this was normal and they should begin to grow quickly. I hope so. See you at the meeting. Downy mildew--john Fleek I am hearing a lot about downy mildew lately and I believe there may be misunderstandings about the disease. I was told by Diana that John Porter may have confused powdery and downy mildew at his talk earlier in the year. One of our garden visitors recently was questioning whether or not some black spotting on the leaves might be downy. We have had downy mildew once in the 40 years we have been growing roses, or maybe I should say we have had a serious case of downy once in 40 years. This occurred in September (I know this since I wrote an article about the problem in the October 1989 newsletter. Here is what I had to say at the time: "It never fails that boasting breeds disaster! Last month I mentioned how well my roses had done in spite of all the rain. Now after finding time to spray only twice in a six-week period, blackspot has taken over; but more than that, I ve been plagued with leaf drop on the tender new leaves and purplish-brown mottling on the upper mature leaves which also are dropping. This is rapidly denuding many of the bushes. I suspect the cold weather we had recently may have damaged the new leaves, though no one else has reported this condition." Over the winter, I received a letter from Susan Manke of the Akron Rose Society. She had seen the newsletter and recognized the problem as downy mildew and referred me to an article in the 1987 ARS Annual (Downy Mildew - A Deadly Misnomer by Rayford Reddell). That s a long article, but Mr. Reddell ultimately recommended Subdue to prevent downy. Ortho s Guide to Enjoying Roses (1994) says the following: Irregular purple blotches appear on stems and leaves; foliage suddenly turns yellow and drops from the plant. Flower buds and flowers are deformed. Downy mildew is not a common disease but can become troublesome when the weather is cool and damp. Treatment: Prune back defoliated canes. Spray the entire plant with maneb or zineb every seven days until the symptoms disappear. In the December 1989 (same time as I had the problem) American Rose Magazine Dr. Charles Beutel of Ravenna, Ohio, wrote about his bout with downy in the "Rose Tips" column. He notes that it is usually a disease of greenhouse roses. He said it was brought about by excessive moisture followed by fair weather and then another period of high moisture. He says that it has been mistaken for blackspot, spray burn, and even insect damage. Rosemania recommends Pageant or Stature SC, but those are $ products. That is hardly worth the cost of a disease that rarely rears its ugly head. Subdue, which was mentioned earlier, is also in the same price range as the above two products. I believe that using Mancozeb every other week to control blackspot may be sufficient to prevent downy and if you incur heavy rains followed by nice, cooler conditions, you may want to spray it weekly just in case. If you do find the symptoms in your garden, be sure to cut out the diseased canes an inch or so below the lowest indications and destroy the cuttings. The leaf drop from the top down is something you will never forget if you ever get downy mildew. P A G E 7

8 Rose of the month Steven Grass First Choice First Choice is a white miniflora with a cotton candy pink edge. My bush is about three feet tall and two feet wide. The blooms hold their form despite only having 17 to 25 petals and have a slight fragrance. If you are exhibiting and the Hi-Lo class is offered, this rose would make a good entry with the hybrid tea Artic Circle. Hybridized by Verlie Wells from a cross of Regina Lee x seedling in 2007 and introduced by Wells Mid-South Roses in Richard Anthony has since purchased Wells Mid-South Roses and the roses available from that company are now available from Mr. Anthony s company, For Love of Roses, in Tennessee. A very good rose with a ARS rating of 7.8, it is ranked #8 on the list of exhibition minifloras. It does take a few years for the bush to get established, but when it does, count on getting beautiful blooms that last in a vase or arrangement. You can also purchase this rose on fortuniana root stock from K&M Roses in Mississippi. The Ramblin Rose is published monthly from March to June and August to October. Lynda Grass, Editor/Publisher Contributing Writers: John Fleek Steven Grass The Charleston Rose Society, a member of the American Rose Society and part of the Colonial District, was founded in Its membership is dedicated to the growth of roses, the education of the public in rose culture, and fellowship with rose growers locally and across the country. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month from March to June and August to October at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston and begin at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in learning more about roses and their culture, we would like to invite you to join us at any of our meetings. If you are interested in joining the Charleston Rose Society, please contact: Joyce Rasmussen, Treasurer 2519 Winter Street St. Albans, WV Membership dues for the Rose Society are $8 for an individual and $12 for a family. This includes the newsletter, which is transmitted electronically. The information contained in this newsletter is, to the best of the ability of the editor and authors, accurate and true. Neither the Society, editor, nor the authors imply or guarantee the accuracy of the information, nor do they make any recommendations or endorsements of products or actions that may be mentioned herein. CHARLESTON ROSE SOCIETY CONSULTING ROSARIANS The Charleston Rose Society has a number of individuals who have taken an ARS-sponsored course and passed a test to become Consulting Rosarians. This means that they are well qualified to answer your questions about roses and the accompanying difficulties you may be experiencing in your garden. Please feel free to contact them with your rose questions! John & Diana Fleek Cross Lanes Steven Grass West Side Gary & Monica Rankin Huntington Donna Smoot South Charleston P A G E 8