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Cutting Roses From Your Garden

Plant Pro

In our second segment at the Roger Williams Victorian Rose Garden we again met with Mike Chute co-founder and past president of the Rhode Island Rose Society. Mike shared tips on how to cut roses from your garden; he also showed us some of his favorite roses and told us the stories behind them.

Cutting Roses from Your Garden

Cutting roses is in itself an important cultural operation. Improper cutting can injure the plant and decrease its vigor. Always use sharp tools - breaking or twisting off flowers injures the remaining wood. Use a good pair of pruners or sharp knife for a clean cut.

The best time to cut roses just as the two outer petals unfold - they will remain in good condition longer than if you cut them when they are fully open. To keep roses fresh longer, cut them in late afternoon and place them immediately in water.

After cutting blossoms, remove any lower leaves that will be in water and recut the stems under water, removing about 1 inch. This removes the air bubble that formed then the stem was cut in air. Then place the stem in warm water (100 degrees F) to which you've added a floral preservative. Floral preservatives add carbohydrates and reduce water pH to an acid condition which retards bacterial growth.

You can use a commercial floral preservative, or you can use Mike's own recipe to make your own: 1 gallon of water, add 1 teaspoon of bleach / vinegar and 1/8th cup of granulated sugar.

The 'McCartney' Rose

Huge, rosy pink buds unfold into enormous blooms, set against a back drop of large, lustrous leaves. This rose was named in honor of the famous singer / songwriter Paul McCartney's family. (Originally the rose was to be named "Paul McCartney", but when they asked Paul he said no, but they could name it after his family). The 'McCartney' rose is a hybrid tea rose that will add a lot of beauty to any garden.

The 'Playboy' rose

Once you get over the name of this rose, you can really enjoy the vigor and striking color combination of this flamboyant Floribunda. The blooms are almost single, bright orange, with a yellow eye opening to reveal attractive golden stamens. The blooms last for days and the color intensifies to scarlet as the flower ages.

'Playboy' has glossy dark green foliage, which produces a healthy looking bush of ever blooming clusters of large semi-double blossoms. The foliage sets off the outstanding color of the blooms. 'Playboy' grows approximately 4 feet tall in our climate and has a neat, rounded bushy appearance. It thrives in sun but can tolerate a little shade. It grows well in a pot or in the ground.

The Rhode Island Rose Society

Roger Williams Victorian Rose Garden - Interactive Map

Written by James Proctor

Renewable Energy Siting Partnership Stakeholder Meeting #4

When: December 1, 2011, 6pm - 9pm
Where: Hazard Rooms @ URI Coastal Institute Bldg, Narragansett Bay Campus
Details: The focus of this meeting will be presentations on the acoustic impacts of wind turbines and project economics. Attendees must RSVP to Amber Neville at 401.874.6106 or amber@crc.uri.edu due to space limitations.
Directions

The meeting is open to the public, and all are welcome, as the goal is to have a diverse and well-rounded stakeholder process. A light dinner will be provided from 5:30-6pm.

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Holidays in the Park

When: December 10, 2011, 11am - 2pm
Where: Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, Providence RI
Details: Admission-free with donation of a nonperishable good to be donated to RI Food Bank

Escape from the cold outdoors and join us in celebrating the holidays! Activities will include demos on do-it- yourself decorations just in time for the holidays, exciting educational crafts for kids, live music, gifts for every gardener, a raffle and more surprises to come.

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Renewable Energy Siting Partnership (RESP) Wind Resource Assessment Lecture

When: January 24, 2012, 6pm - 7pm
Where: North Kingstown Free Library
Details: URI researchers will present their current work related to the wind resource assessment component of the Renewable Energy Siting Partnership.

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