Golden Isles Rose Society

Spring Pruning Field Trip...Mark your Calendars.

2012-01-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

This year, we're planning a pruning techniques field trip to a mystery garden, for a Rose Garden makeover.

This landscape has a patch of Hybrid Teas, some Floribunda's, two Fortuniana's some in the ground, some in pots, a mailbox planting with a HT and Mini Flora.,and a dozen Knockouts, all in assorted stages of age, neglect, thriving and whatever. Might possible have a guest appearance by one of the newer double pink knockouts.

Our guest Consulting Rosarians, will lead you through an assessment of the stock, recommending what to keep, try and save or shovel prune.     Bring your cameras, notebooks, etc.

As we proceed through the landscape, they will conduct a pruning demonstration for those bushes we decide to keep/salvage.     Under the watchful eye of one of our CR's you will get a chance to prune a bush yourself. Bring your gloves if you're going to participate. Maybe a new planting of one of the new roses ordered this year may be in order.

In our last garden area, we'll get to evaluate of collection of mini's and mini floras. We'll give you the chance to make your own assessment of keep, save, shovel prune,   and with time permitting. under the watchful guidance of our Consulting Rosarians, go ahead and prune the mini's and mini floras.

Mark your Calendars. Saturday Jan 28th. @ 1:30.

This is planned as a hands on field trip, More details at the Jan 24th meeting.

If you can't make the meeting, rsvp/call me at 269 1537 or email for details.

Oh, while you're waiting, and thinking about making a run to Starbucks for the free bags of coffee grounds for your garden, here's some research to mull over..... Coffee Grounds?

Time for some Soil Sampling?

2012-01-14T06:06:00.000-08:00

When's the last time you've had your soil sampled? Wondering about what PH your soil may have? Does it have a useful level of phosphorous, potassium or mangenese? Are you just blindly adding you chemical and time release fertilizers blindly hoping everything is in balance? There is an easy wasy to deasl with this.
Hurry down to youir local Extension Service Office with your $14 fee and get your soil sample The report you get back will look like this:

Looking at the report you can see the PH is 6.0 Maybe a bit on the acidic side. Your member book I believe suggests a PH of 6.7 or so. Even though the recommendation says add lime, that seems like heresy in our soils. Knowing you garden, the culprit could be a heavy dose of Sul-Po-Mag . Given that may be the case, then the question becomes how to add the Potassium without further acidifying the PH level. Hummmm... We'll have copies of the report at our meeting. Also, we'll have some soil sample bags for you.

Hopefully one of our Consulting Rosarians can shed some light.

Time for a House Call

2011-12-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

Some Consulting Rosarians still make house calls.   Special thanks to Jim Harrell who donned his lab coat and came on by.

I had called him after I made the rounds of my rose plantings, and like a befuddled baseball coach or general manager, I looked at my current line up, and realized I was just plain befuddled on how to tackle the makeover of my rose team.

Had plants ranging from almost new to 12 years old, some ok, some struggling some failing some real prizes, and then thinking about the deadline for ordering new roses, I decided to consult with the General Manager of the best rose garden in town.

It was better than setting up a team for fantasy baseball.   First we went through an overall assessment concluding 1: Get your soil tested (in progress)   2: 2-3 times more water. and 3 Take Jim's feeding program and double up on everything. (sort of like the er doctor telling you to take 6 Tylenol instead of 2 to get through it.

Next we looked at each specimen.    The end results were pretty tough.    Had a few that will not be on the roster for next year (out they go, replaced with some new acquisitions)   A few are getting sent to the minors for rehab.  and the rest, apparently are somewhat out of shape, so a thinning workout plan is the order of the day.

Also, btw, as you may have guessed I really do like yellow blends. Have been growing some new Arizona Sunsets from cutting's and I ordered another large yellow blend to go with my Rio Samba. All that was missing for one of the really great show classes (small medium and large) was to find a great mini flora. (he brought over a cutting of Shirley Raye. It was love at first site). It's on my order list now, and the cutting has been root toned and is in the peat pot/freezer bag combo hoping to get one started for the Spring.
Yes there are times you really should call the rose doctor for a house call.

btw.... I have a handful of soil test bags I'll bring to the Jan Meeting. Call me if you want one sooner and save the trip to the extension service to get one. You can make one trip if you bring two cups of soil in a freezer bag and a check for $12. They will email you the results or call you to come pick them up. New office location. Glynn County Extension Service Our Agent is Rodger Gardener, at 554 7578.

Christmas Time... (party date Dec 13th)

2011-11-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

t’s that season, were so many other things take your mind off roses, however, there’s always a couple of things we hope Santa won’t forget.

Maybe a Christmas Rose could find a place under your tree? Christmas Rose you say? Sure! A Helleborus Niger. I’ll let you do the research. Maybe start here:

http://grahamrice.com/hellebore/species/niger/index.html

And for a mail order source take a look at

http://www.pineknotfarms.com/new%20list.htm

See you at the Christmas Party. Oh, party.... look for the details in your newsletter. However, for your calendar, it'll be December 13th. We'll be going out to Hampton Plantation /SSI North End. Show up with a Sweet or hors d'oeuvres. ps. Great Party... sorry if you missed it. Hope Santa brings you a toy!

In House Rose Show November 15th

2011-11-04T05:40:00.001-07:00

In-House Rose Show….Show us what You’ve Got!

At the November 15^th meeting, we’ll be doing an in-house rose show - It should be fun and entertaining and educational. Everyone is encouraged to bring your blooms and your trimmers, etc. so you can groom your blooms, show style.

We’ll provide containers and entry tags. (But you might bring some of your return address labels – they save a lot of writing.)

We’ll have 3 classes:

· * Hybrid Teas

· * Any Other Large Rose (such as Floribundas, Polyanthas, Shrubs & OGRs)

· * Miniatures and Minifloras

You may enter as many roses in each class as you desire, provided each is a different variety (such as Veteran’s Honor, Gemini, Louise Estes, etc).

Our experienced exhibitors will help you groom your roses and enter them in the proper class. Our accredited judges (Jim & Jeff) will preside over the judging, so bring your note pads to record what tips and tricks you pick up. Oh, a camera might be a good idea too.

Knockouts and other Easy to Grow Roses

2011-11-01T20:55:00.000-07:00


Double Pink Knockout Rose

November 15th's meeting program will cover the easy to grow roses. Knockouts of course, come to the top of the list. Yes, it's a showable rose. It belongs in the family of shrub roses and old garden roses. And yes, there are knockouts that come in colors other than red. Here's a double pink specimen. Now, easy to grow, doesn't necessarily mean nothing to do. Give them just a bit of attention with a sunny location, some water, and a fertilizer treat every so often, and you'll have a fighting chance. The easy to Grow label, comes from these roses being quite resistant (although not completely immune) to diseases and pests.

As a start, take a look at what the garden lady has to sat about pruning Knockouts. and where to get these pink ones. The Garden Lady talks Knockouts

the October meeting.

2011-10-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to kick off a new season. With the BBQ behind us, time to focus on all things roses.

Meetings will be starting at 6:45. Looks like we'll be kicking off with our usual social, of sweets and treats.

The first segment of the meeting, will be a few words from our guest rosarian. Time to get your notes ready, since the first item will be a review of those things to be doing over the next month to keep your garden and rose bushes thriving.

Next up , will be a special topic of the rosarians choosing, focusing on a timely topic of things you really need to know.

And then, it's time for the Rose Doctor. We'll have our Rose ICU and First Aid kit, so be sure to bring in your sick or failing roses or cuttings from the bush. Hopefully, our resident experts will be able to discover what the problem may be, how to best treat it and how to avoid it in the future.

The program for this month will be a hands on workshop teaching you a method for propagating a new rose. We'll be mixing some soil, learning how best to take a cutting, how to get it started and hopefully you will get to take home, your completed package of cutting, soil, pot, and greenhouse, ready for some tlc. We'll start you with a cutting from a miniature rose, which grows well on it's own roots, With luck, by Spring, it could be ready for some blooms.

We're suggesting that you try and propagate a miniature rose, since those seem to really do well on thier own roots. We'll have a few minitures in pots on hand from which you can have some cuttings. My favorite, Arizona Sunset, pictured above. However, if you've got another you like better, clip a few branches and bring it in.

Need some homework? Review te information at this site : http://www.rose-works.com/propagating-roses.html

On The Lookout for New Members

2011-09-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

This is an early reminder that on October 11th will be at the Island Newcomers General Meeting for Non-Profits, and as in previous years, will be providing information to prospective members about the GIRS. We tend to get some real attention when we've showed up with a couple of buckets of cut roses, which we hand out individually to the folks at this meeting. If you remember, would appreciate saving a supply of cut roses you can spare for us.

Also, a reminder, that this is a great meeting/program coming up on Oct 25th to invite your aquaintances that may be interested in learning more about roses. Not only will we have our usually much anticipated social, but we'll be starting with our featured rosarian, with garden tips to do this month, then a few minutes of things you really ought to know, then a RX /ICU session for any of your problem roses/bushes. Remember to bring in examples of your problem items (diseases, bugs, damages, what have you.) Also, the main program, will get you started on a do-it-yourself workshop on how to grow you very own rose, from a cutting of some of our favorite miniature roses, which you'll get to take home.

If your ready for some in depth how-to info, check our "How-To" links down the left side, or start here at http://www.rose-works.com/propagating-roses.html

The Season Ahead of Us.

2011-09-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

Enjoy looking forward to a new Rose Season.

September offers an annual BBQ (Saturday Sept 17th at the Butlers)

Programs on the horizon will offer opportunities for learning about presenting roses in a variety of arrangements, a members rose show, guest speaker, and special topics of interest like "All About Knockouts".

Also on tap, garden visits or two, for a demo of pruning skills and tips.
A regular meeting feature with our Rosarians presenting a few minutes of tips, tricks, your questions and current garden to-do's and our brand new Emergency Clinic, (Rose ICU) where we bring in our problem roses and let the Rosarian diagnose what the problems and remedies may be.

The annual Rose Show and Banquet are getting on the calender.

The Meeting Program Calendar is shaping up like this so far..

Sept 17th -Annual BBQ (rsvp by Sept 13th pls) Great BBQ, sorry if you missed it.....
Oct 25 th_ Workshop and Take Home, Starting your new rose from a cutting.
Nov- 15th All about Knockouts and the other Easy to Grow Roses, Selecting New Roses.
Dec 13th- Christmas Party
Jan 24th- The Secrets of Growing Roses on the Georgia Coast (Your Garden Calendar)
Feb 28th-   Demonstration of the exotic specialty Underwater and Plate arrangements
Mar- 27th Creating a "show ready" miniature arrangement (workshop)
April- 17th (before the show) "Do it in Pots" All about growing roses in Pots
May 22nd- Guest Speaker- Creative Arrangements
Jun 4th (first Monday)-    Awards Banquet

Special Events
    Feb. Garden Visit for Pruning Demonstrations
October or November. In House Rose Show.
    District Convention Nov 11-13th Tampa.
    GIRS Rose Show April 21st.
    30th annual Deep South District‟s Mid-Winter meeting January 13-15, 2012 in Gainesville, Florida.

Also, some of us will be attending the Island Newcomers meeting Oct 11th, at the Brunswick CC, it introduce members of that group to our Rose group.    If your roses are looking pretty good, please save us some and we'll be distributing them to the attendees. Hopefully we'll discover ome new GIRS Members.   Thx JJM

Great BBQ Sorry if you missed it.

2011-09-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome..... we are the Golden Isles Rose Society....

But really? We're proof that "Yes, Virginia, you really can grow roses on the Georgia Coast!!!"
We meet at the St Simons Presbyterian Church on King's Way. Monthly meetings are held at 6:45 PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month except for December,July, August and September.

Located in the Georgia Golden Isles of St Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island, the city of Brunswick as well as all of greater Glynn County, we are an affiliate of the American Rose Society.
We encourage you in the scientific study of our National Flower, the Rose, and its culture, both old and modern, and guide you in the planting of roses for beautification and enjoyment.

Several of our members are ARS Consulting Rosarians, who are ready to answer your questions about your garden, or show roses. Others are top exhibitors at rose shows throughout the Southeast. and are accredited ARS Horticulture and Arrangement judges. They all promised to disclose their winning tips.

Some come join your friends and neighbors and enjoy all that roses (the National Flower) have to offer.