The
Carolina District has 121 Consulting Rosarians. Each one is required to file an
Annual CR Report. Only 75 reports were filed—a 62% response rate—a
disappointing figure. Nevertheless, the quality of this year’s reports was
excellent, and I thank all respondents for their thoughtful and constructive
input.
We asked the CRs to list 10 rose varieties they
would recommend for the Carolinas. The
most interesting fact is that 77 varieties of hybrid teas, 9 grandifloras, 35
floribundas, 12 climbers, 40 old garden roses, 17 polyanthas, 28 shrubs, and 42
minis were recommended! The hybrid teas were the overwhelming favorites!
The Queen of Hybrid Teas in the survey
was Moonstone, with 30 votes, followed by Veterans’ Honor with 29 and St.
Patrick with 21. Fairhope was the clear winner for the minis, but only scored
10 hits! Here are the results:
Hybrid Teas (77 nominated):
Moonstone 30
votes
Veterans’ Honor 29
St.
Patrick 21
Double
Delight 19
Touch
of Class 19
Gemini 14
Dublin 13
Elina 10
Olympiad 9
Bride’s
Dream 8
Elizabeth
Taylor 8
Gold Medal 7
Queen Elizabeth 6
Fame!
5
Climbers
(12 nominated)
Fourth
of July 4
Europeana 11
votes
Playboy
6
Polyanthas
(17 nominated)
The Fairy
4 votes
Shrubs
(28 nominated)
Knock Out 7
votes
Graham
Thomas 7
Sally
Holmes 6
Old
Garden Roses (40 nominated)
No concensus! Three managed to receive
3 votes: (Sombreuil, Francis Dubreuil, Mrs. B.R. Cant
Miniatures
(42 nominated)
Fairhope 10 votes
Pierrine 7
Miss
Flippins 7
Minnie
Pearl 5
Irresistible 5
Recommendations
for Disease Resistance:
No clear pattern emerged except for
Knock Out with 10 votes. Most agreed chinas and teas, old garden roses were
more disease resistant than others. Touch of Class was the only hybrid tea (5
votes). Species roses were cited. CRs stated that with a good spray program, most
roses are disease resistant.
Recommendations for
Fragrance:
Double Delight 35 votes
Mister Lincoln 26
Fragrant Cloud 21
Dolly Parton 9
Fragrant Plum 6
Scentsational 5
Tiffany
5
Angel Face 5
Others
at 4 votes: Chysler Imperial, Perfume Delight, Secret, Sheila’s Perfume,
Gertrude Jekyll, Mme Isaac Pieriere, Heritage.
Recommendations for Spray
Programs
Blackspot:
Fifty-five (55) answered this question. Forty-four CRs used Banner-Maxx (mostly at
the recommended rate), usually in combination with manzate, alternating with
Daconil Ultrex or Compass or Cleary’s or Funginex or Triforine.
25 sprayed at 14 day
intervals, 5 at 7-10 day intervals, and 12 at 7 day intervals.
2 used non-conventional
programs.
Powdery
Mildew:
Most respondents (37) used
Rubigan or Nova during the spring and fall seasons. Eleven CRs reported their
regular spray programs (Banner-Maxx, Funginex, Triforine) adequately controlled
powdery mildew.
Downy
Mildew:
Downy was not reported as
a problem. Most had not had it (29) or did not report on it.
Comments
from those who had encountered downy:
“Metallic based sprays such as manzate, maneb, mancozeb) offer a degree
of protection.” Also, “Regular use of fungicides in the manzate family will
prevent an outbreak.”
In another case, Aliette was used to eradicate a severe
nursery outbreak. The owners recommend
Heritage, Mancozeb + Aliette, Subdue Maxx.
Other
recommendations: Aliette (4), Subdue
(3), Pace (4).
Recommendations
for Japanese Beetles:
Twenty-five would pick off
the beetles; but 7 would then dump them into soapy water. One CR stated it was
imperative to dispose of dead beetles away from the rose beds as “squashing and
dropping” leaves JNB eggs and debris on the ground, ready to reproduce.
Some
spray with Sevin; others use Dursban or Diazinon in the beds to control grubs.
Several reported excellent control by spraying with Bayer Rose and Flower
Insect Spray.
Finally,
one CR stated underplanting with “Four O’Clock” perennials solved his beetle
problem!
Recommendations
for Spider Mites:
The
water wand, or in combination with Avid when needed was reported by most CRs
for control of spider mites. Eleven (11) also used Floramite one to three times
per season.
Recommendtions
for Rose Rosette:
Most have not encountered
rose rosette. The preferred treatment was to destroy the bush if severely
infested, or to cut out the fuzzy growth if only on one small section of a
bush.