View Single Post
  #7   Report Post  
Old 03-07-2005, 07:52 PM
dave weil
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On 3 Jul 2005 12:58:02 -0400, Tom Line wrote:

I live just north of Cincinnati. Soil is limestone clay with a bit of good
dirt on top of it.


Mills Mix is pretty highly regarded. And I don't say this simply
because Mr. Mills is a relative neighbor.

Best adjuncts are alfalfa meal, epson salts, blood and bone meal, and
fish emulsion. Add to that some good compost, some earthworms and a
top-dressing of mulch, and you're in business. Oh yeah, in lieu of
compost, you can get concentrated liquid compost that works just
dandy. Just remember that it's concentrated and use as directed.

I'm ashamed to say that I have been really lazy this year and haven't
done any of this and my roses are showing the results. I never got a
handle on my usual routine (partly because of the unseasonably cold
spring that we had that went directly into hot weather rather late)
and I only did Osmocote and one application of Bayer's
fertilizer/systemic insecticide granular. It hasn't really been enough
at all. I'm hoping that I don't lose too many plants this year, but if
I do, I can only blame myself.

Keep in mind that it's a little late to get the roses set for the
year, but you can still help them out (if I would only take my own
advice!). Also, you want to stop feeding them sometime around August
or September, as you want them to start preparing for dormancy. You
don't want them going into late fall and early winter trying to grow
vigorously.

Also, if you hit clay 2 ffet down, you should dig the clay out much
deeper. You don't want the saucer effect, where water can't drain
easily and the root ball sits in "standing water". I'd suggest digging
down four feet or more. If you don't, what you'll have is some soil
where the water drains well, but then is stopped by the clay. The more
and deeper soil you have to work with, the better.

Hope this helps.