SRW Tip#1: Preparing Good Rose Soil

» Mark_Whitelaw - Hi Everyone! Welcome to Suite101's <a href="http://www.suite101.

Hi Everyone! Welcome to Suite101's Spring Rose Workshop.

This is just the first in a series of SRW Tips to be posted each day. To read previous tips, click on the Articles link to your left.

To read or ask questions associated with this workshop or other questions and answers, click on the Discussions link.

Oh! And feel free to jump in here with your own comments and experiences, too.

Hope you enjoy.

MarkW>Ft. Worth, TX/Zn 7b, Rose Garden

-- posted by Mark_Whitelaw

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» Carol Wallace - You recommend adding nitrogen to the soil if you're using non-de

You recommend adding nitrogen to the soil if you're using non-decomposed organic matter. Since we make good use of our chipper/shredder and always have a ton of shredded wood chips and/or leaves piled on the beds, I know I need to do this. But what form of nitrogen do I add? I think I've used dried blood in the past. Is there something better?

Carol virtually gardening

-- posted by Carol Wallace

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» Mark_Whitelaw - Carol, Any nitrogen source is acceptable. The trick is to compe

Carol,
Any nitrogen source is acceptable. The trick is to compensate for the nitrogen loss due to the initial composting action of the organic improvements.

If fast action is required, one might consider leftover nitrate-based, "quick results" lawn fertilizer. (Many landscape companies use this approach because they don't have time to come back and plant after waiting a few weeks.)

If the gardener has 3 - 4 weeks available, slower-acting, nitrite-based solutions like alfalfa meal, blood meal, manures or manure-based organic lawn fertilizers are all acceptable.

A compromise between the two methods is to use feather meal, which acts in about 10 - 14 days. It is available at many nurseries or home improvement centers which specialize in organic fertilizer supplements. Some organic lawn fertilizers are also made from feather meal.

If none of these are available, the gardener can also let the soil remain fallow for a month or so. Nature's micro- and macroorganisms will do the work for him or her.

I usually don't have that much patience, though. [sigh] I always want to get my roses in the ground... yesterday! :>) So I opt for the "feather meal approach" and start planting in about a week.

MarkW>Ft. Worth, TX/Zn 7b, Rose Garden

-- posted by Mark_Whitelaw

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