"Tim Tompkins" wrote in message
...

"Lavinia Zammit" . wrote in message
...
On paid TV in Australia I saw a segment of Martha Stewart Garden. She
was
talking about Roses, I only glimpsed the last bit and she was doing an
Epsom
Salt Spray on her roses. Does anyone know why? and is it beneficial for
Australian Climate.

Regards.



I am not sure that I would trust anything Martha Stewart says about rose
culture!

Epsom salt is usually applied to the soil to encourage new basal breaks.

I mix Epsom Salt, celated iron, water soluable food and fish emulsion and
apply it in the spring.

Tim

I do something similar to Tim's approach. I use
alfalfa tea on my roses in spring and (sometimes)
fall. I mix alfalfa pellets in water letting it steep
for a week or so until it's stinky. Also added in
are chelated iron and epsom salts. In between
spring and fall I'll do at least one fish emulsion
feeding and also feed occasionally with seaweed
(sprayed from hose) and one of the easy mix
ferts like Miracle Gro or Peters.

I will also use Epsom Salts to mix into the soil
around a rose bush that is struggling (not growing
as well as I'd like) to try to encourage basel breaks.
Sometimes it works!

Gail
near San Antonio TX USA Zone 8