Pruning Workshop

Monday, Mar. 03, 2003 – 6:27 p.m.

2003-03-03 6:27

Roses: Easy Come, Easy Go…

This past weekend was the Raleigh Rose Society’s February rose pruning workshop. Yes, it actually happened on March 1 but that was because we moved the meeting from Tuesday evening to Saturday morning because Fairview Garden Center, where we have our meetings, wanted a pruning workshop. We had about 15 folk show up for the workshop, which is a lot better than the evening turnout we have gotten the last two years.

So, my quandry this year was “Do I take in some roses this year? and if so, which bushes?” Ok, it works like this: Members bring in roses that they no longer want, unpruned and in pots. The folk that attend the workshop each pick at least one of the roses to prune and they get to take that bush home with them. In years past, I have ended up with a number of nice roses from this. Since I have not built the new bed that I had planned, I really don’t have any space for new bushes… therefore, what do I take in? I am quite fond of all my roses! Ok, perhaps that’s a little extreme… but you get my drift.

So what do I dig up and take with me? I took a look at the garden and started thinking about what bushes had just not been performing… and Angel Face immeadiately came to mind. This was one of the first roses I planted and it was a year before I realize that the blooms on it were supposed to be at least semi -double (more that 12 petals) rather than single (5-12 petals). It also did not get above about 3 ft last year. Good candidate but do I want to subject someone to my “sub-standard” bush? Well, maybe someone else will have better luck with it. Into a pot, it went.

The other two bushes that I thought of were not poor producers, just not what I wanted: the roses I got at Walmart last year… what I call “not Iceburg” and “not Chicago Peace”. I don’t know the actual names of these roses are but they did grow well last year. The quandry regading these is do I subject other folk to roses I don’t know the name of. On reflection, this is really only important if you are going to enter the blooms in a show. In truth, the folk who are getting these roses from the swap are probably not the ones who enter rose shows so I put these in pots as well. Since I didn’t know what they were, I printed pictures of the roses I took last year and attached the pictures to the roses with a rubber band.

I got to the garden center about 15 minutes before the workshop was scheduled to start and unloaded my three roses. Oh, getting them into the car was an experience in itself [sigh]. But I got them there which was what was important. After I setting my roses on the workbenches with the others, I went through and looked at what other folk had brought in (mostly roses from Rich). Nothing really caught I eye so I was not really that disappointed when I didn’t end up with any bushes in the end. I gives me room for new stuff this year. After all, I do have two free roses from RosesUnlimited plus anything I get from Ashdown Rose when I am visiting there in April. Gee, I could even get a REAL Iceburg bush!

Pruning Time!

Well, the weather is turning warmer…. at least I hope it is. It is about time!! Yesterday, the temp got up to 60 or so and the sun was out…. too bad I was stuck at the office working on Peoplesoft stuff. Oh well. Hmmm.. maybe I will look at the weather forcast for the week and take a morning to do some pruning. I also need to get some mulch to cover any pruned bushes in case we get more cold weather. It has also been so wet that working in the yard is just not that pleasant… it is just plain muddy out there! Ok, I also need to start my fungicide program, including starting the Neem oil.

Alas, so much to do, so little time.