September Rooting Roses From Cuttings. Of Interest to Organic Gardeners Alfalfa Tea By: Howard Walters

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1 September 2017 Rooting Roses From Cuttings You will not want to miss the September 9 th rose society meeting at 10:00 a.m. in the Klima Building. Don Morgan will be demonstrating the techniques that he has used successfully to root cuttings of his favorite roses. Feel free to invite others that you know who might be interested in rooting roses. Of Interest to Organic Gardeners Alfalfa Tea By: Howard Walters Please bring some of your most beautiful roses for Show and Tell Alfalfa tea is a great spring or fall potion that doesn't interfere with normal seasonal processes. Alfalfa tea releases a growth hormone that makes everything work better. Just add 10 to 12 cups of alfalfa meal or pellets to a 32-gallon plastic garbage can (with a lid), add water, stir and steep for four or five days, stirring occasionally. You may also "fortify" with 2 cups of Epsom salts, 1/2 cup of Sequestrene (chelated iron, now called Sprint 330) or your favorite trace element elixir. The tea will start to smell in about three days. Keep the lid ON. Use about a gallon of mix on large rose bushes, 1/3 that much on minis. And keep the water going. When you get to the bottom of the barrel, add water to fill it up again! One load of meal or pellets will brew up two barrels full, but add more fortifiers for the second barrel. You'll see greener growth and stronger stems within a week.

2 The Moon & Me By: Leo Whaley, Consulting Rosarian This was an Award of Merit article from 2001 Last June I started a project of rooting mini roses by various phases of the moon. Several interesting things came out of this experiment and I will discuss this more later. The experiment started June 2nd with getting 12 cuttings from various plants. The moon was just past full (May 30). Knowing it would take at least three 6 weeks to complete the experiment, I needed to use the same variety of rose for each phase of the moon. The 12 cuttings were placed in a solution of Triforine to kill any fungi that might be present. Each cutting was then dipped at 1:15 strength and placed in a 1 cubic inch piece of oasis that had been soaked in water. This was then placed in a 4 inch pot with Fafard 3-S potting mixture and soaked thoroughly. Then each of the 12 plants was covered with Knowing it would take A Diagram of the Moon s phases. The Earth is at the center of the diagram and the Moon is shown orbiting (dashed lines). The sun lights half of the Moon and Earth a clear plastic bottle with the bottom removed and the top screwed on tight. These were then screwed on tight. These were then placed in a shady spot behind the barn for observation. For further reference purposes the first planting will be called group #1. from the right side. The phase of the Moon is shown next to the Corresponding position of the Moon in the orbit around the Earth. The phases as seen in the Northern hemisphere of the earth. The second planting (group #2) was started June 9th, when the moon was in the last quarter and was done in the same way as group #1, even using the same variety of Minis. Group #1 seemed to be progressing normally at this time. The third planting (group #3) was started June 16th with the moon in the new moon phase. This was the important phase as it is the ideal time to start new plants according to current folklore. Again the same variety as group #1 and group #2 was used. The screw top of the bottles of group #1 were loosened. Things didn't look great as some had already died. I knew that the bottles should be left on the plants until new growth is evident and at this point no new growth was evident. The fourth and final planting (group #4) was done June 23rd with the moon in the 1st quarter phase which is prior to a full moon. This phase is the second choice for starting new plants. Again, the same variety was planted and the same technique used as in all other cases. The bottle caps were loosened on group #2 and no exceptional activity was observed. Group #1

3 was still not showing any new growth, so the caps of the bottles were removed which is the customary procedure, but the bottle was left on the plant. The fifth week was the beginning of evaluation. The bottle tops were loosened on group #3; the plants looked better than previous groups. The plants of group #1 were not showing anything; most of the stems were dead and at this point appeared to be a total loss. Group #2 was showing some progress and the caps were removed to allow air to get to the plants. The sixth week the caps were loosened on group #4 and these plants looked fairly good at this point. The caps of the bottles of group #3 were removed. Ten plants in this case were showing promise. Group #2 showed 5 plants with evidence of new growth. Group #1 was declared a total loss and the bottles and bodies were disposed of. The seventh week the caps were removed on group #4 and 7 of these plants looked like they would make it. On group #2, I removed the bottles as 5 plants appeared to be alive and well. Group #3 looked better with 9 plants still alive. The eighth week, group #2 still showed the 5 plants progressing. The bottles were removed on group #3 with all 9 plants alive. Group #4 was progressing with 6 of the 7 still alive. In the ninth week, I removed all the remaining bottles on group #4 which had 6 survivors. SUMMATION Group #1 New Moon Of the 12 plants started in the New Moon phase, no plants lived. Group #2 Last Quarter Plants started in the last quarter produced 5 bushes Group #3 New Moon Plants started in the new moon produced 9 bushes Group #4 First Quarter Plants started in the first quarter produced 6 bushes The results of this experiment indicate to me that the Old Farmer's Almanac is correct in that the best time to start new plants is after a new moon and during the 1st quarter. I must also say that this result is only one phase. For the results to be authentic the test should be done at least three more times. At that stage this rosarian decided that he had better get a life or he would be put in a home. Being the experimenter that I am, I decided to try something else in rooting miniatures. I repeated the above experiment following a new moon, but used another approach. I started 48 plants in August, 3 days past the new moon using the same technique as the other groups with one exception -- I did not put the bottles over the plants. Having noted that many of the plants under the bottles developed a mold on them, I felt that they were too wet even though I had not watered the plants. I also felt that leaving the bottles off might give more air

4 circulation to keep them dryer. I did, however, water these plants every other day in addition to the rains. The results of the experiment without the bottles produced 40 plants that have gone on to grow in the gardens of friends and relatives. Having done all of this, I have been removed from assisted living and can now have visitors! Moon Phases - - Author: Andonee (found on Wikipedia) GULF DISTRICT WEB SITE IS NOW A REALITY. A newly created website for the Gulf District officially went public on September 1 with Kris Kelley spearheading the project. The planning committee from Northeast Louisiana, Shreveport, Central Louisiana, Acadiana, and Baton Rouge Rose Societies met at Marilyn Wellan s home in Alexandria to review/kickoff the project on July 15th. Go to: and check it out. You can access other societies from throughout the district to see what they are doing as well as national. You will find lots of educational information and read about and register for upcoming district events. The rose society newsletters section is password protected. Password: GULF all caps. Pictured from bottom left: Carolyn DeRouen, Acadiana: Kelly Texada, CenLA; Ken Kelley, Northeast La. Rose Society; Frank Hover, Shreveport; Kris Kelley, Northeast LA; Flora Hover, Shreveport; Wanda Kelley, Northeast LA; Marilyn Wellan, CenLA; Not pictured: Billy Flynn

5 Welcome To Roses in Review This Roses in Review (RIR) marks the 91 st time that the members of the American Rose Society have evaluated new rose introductions. The ultimate value of this procedure is realized only when we have a broad base of participation. We need your contribution, whether you grow only one plant of one variety on the list or many of them. We need input from "garden" rosarians as well as exhibitors, and from new rosarians as well as seasoned veterans. We also welcome reports from those who are not yet ARS members, so please pass along this website address to your rose-growing friends. The complete results of this survey will be included in the January/February, 2018, issue of American Rose, and will help determine the ratings in the ARS Handbook for Selecting Roses. For these results to be meaningful, we need everyone to participate So, please - take a few minutes of your time to evaluate your new roses. Only evaluate roses you grow from the cultivar list. Reviews must be submitted by September 26, Your reports will be automatically sent to your District Coordinator. If you have technical problems with this site, please send an message describing your difficulties in as much detail as possible to Technical Support Help. We would like to be 100% this year and with a new society, that would be great. Don t be concerned if you do not grow any of the roses on the list this year. We ve noticed that we (Frank & Flora) are not growing any of these rose this year. There is a place on the form where you can write that you do not grow any of these roses. This will let the committee know you took the time to look at the list and make the report. Only one report needs to be completed per family but do include both of your names.

6 Up-Coming Dates to Remember Sept. 6-9 ARS Fall National Convention Gettysburg, PA Sept a.m. Shreveport Rose ARC Sept Deadline for submitting Roses in Review Sept. 30 Green Thumb - ARC Klima Building Growing Pollinator Garden (FREE) Please call to register for handouts and refreshments. OFFICERS President: Steven Piraino Vice President: Seborn E. Woods Secretary: Terrie Blackman Assist. Secretary: Vickie Wallace Newsletter: Frank & Flora Hover Program Chair: Frank Hover Hospitality: Karen Durham Oct Shreveport Rose Rose ARC Oct Central AR Rose Show - Conway, AR Nov South Central District Rose Show in Beaumont, TX Nov.? 10 a.m. - Shreveport Rose ARC Nov. 11- Southwest LA. Rose Show - Lake Charles For more information contact Frank or Flora at gulfdistrictrose@bellsouth.net These are 2 pictures of Reve d Ore an 1869 yellow blend climbing rose that we grew in Ruston. It is disease resistant, has good repeat bloom, and is very fragrant.

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