“Planning and Caring for Roses” was the subject of the Cultura Garden Club program for February. The program and institute, “Growing Roses from Cuttings,” were presented by Martha Sibley.

Martha shared some very interesting facts about the rose, which is the most popular flower in the world. The three main types of roses are shrubs, climbers and ramblers. The easiest roses to grow are shrub roses, which have excellent disease resistance, low-maintenance needs and summer-long blooms.

All roses grow best in full sun – at least six to eight hours of direct sun – with moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. If they get less light, the plants won’t bloom as well and will be more susceptible to attack from pests and diseases.

Fertilizing can be helpful, and in most cases, a general-purpose garden fertilizer is all you need; however, don’t use too much fertilizer.

Cuttings can be taken from any type of rose bush, as long as they are strong, healthy and from this season’s growth. If the rose is patented, then you must wait 20 years to propagate.

The best time to take a cutting is in the morning when temperature is above 55 and below 90 degrees – ideally 70-80 and in spring or early summer. Cuttings should be about 4-8 inches long with three to five nodes. Leave one leaf at the top, but remove the leaves further down the stem.

Place the roots in a bucket of shallow water to keep the cuttings fresh between cutting and planting.

Prepare the soil in a pot or container. Place the cutting into potting soil about 2 inches and gently place soil around the root so it will not fall over. 

Water the soil well so that it remains moist and place in indirect sunlight inside or outside.

Keep an eye on the rose cutting. Rooting can take place in two weeks to a month or two. You will need to give your rose cuttings 9-12 months to develop enough to plant outside in the garden.

The meeting was held at the Chamber of Commerce, with Cheri McCain and Sherry James serving as co-hostesses. Delicious refreshments were served, and table decorations accented Valentine’s Day. A beautiful plant was given as a door prize.

Debbie Nale, president, announced the Cultura Garden Club has been nominated for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Partnership Volunteer of the Year Award for its seasonal beautification work and Christmas decorations for downtown.  Members voted to reserve a table for the banquet, which will be held March 23 at the A.W. Todd Centre.

Business included a follow-up report regarding organizing a community/school junior garden club to assist Cultura Garden Club. Since schools are quickly approaching the finalization of the school year, it was decided to table this project until September.

Members discussed and approved the spring flower sale fundraiser.

The District III Flower Show will be held March 1 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The Alabama State Garden Club Convention will be held April 10-12 in Orange Beach. The National Garden Club convention will be held May 2-4 at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.