In article
aHlwYXRpYQ==.642b43875ec8da2f81030adb7e5054cc@104 4115327.cotse.net,
Shiva wrote:

Cass wrote:

Alfalfa, aka, rat food? I think it really does help root growth -
nothing else explains why some of my roses grow so well.

No doubt!! Mills Mix' main ingredient looks and smells to be alfalfa. The
second looks and smells to be sludge. The label lists both. I think both
are responsible for the great basals--and I hope good roots. I would love
to do as others do and make my OWN recipe with alfalfa, blood meal, etc.,
but don't have the time at the moment, and don't want the mess.

I have no problem using a product some smart somebody devised. I like
to rotate products, tho, and not use just one thing.

Is Mill's Magic water soluble so you can foliar feed? That works well
too.

Nope, it is all organic and chunky! I stopped using the water soluable
ones because they are such a pain to mix. What kind do you use, if I
change my mind and start up again so's I can foliar feed?

Growmore (has minors). Ironite. Liquid Kelp. Fish Emulsion, the
expensive kind (hydrolyzed). You'll see 2 tiers of fish emulsion. The
expensive stuff works better. And the fish oil may have some benefit
smothering fungi, who knows. Smells bad enough. My theory on foliar
feeding is that I have to dilute it, so I should in theory have less
possibility of burn. And I overdilute, always.

My theory: the only things that give more better blooms are optimal
genetics and optimal plant growth. The blooms are the consequence of
the first two. Optimal is not excessive rank growth from too much
nitrogen.

If the above is true, and I want to grow just the varieties I want to grow
NOT NECESSARILY based upon vigor--then I just have to keep feeding and
watering them well and wait until they get bigger. Think?

Yep. I'm sure you could spend a lot of time disbudding and selectively
deadheading so you have very few flowers and those that are there get
really big. That might solve better but not more.