On 17 Apr 2003 14:39:50 GMT, (SBHCOM) wrote:

I am about to plant some new roses and the instructions ask for organic
material to be mixed with the soil. what can I use for organic material? I
don't have compost.

"Organic material" is anything apt to break down into nice loamy,
black earth, or aid in the process of turning the mix of organic
(stuff that breaks down) and inorganic (rocks and minerals and such)
material into friable, yummy garden soil that will contain lots of
good nutrients for your plants AND be easy to work.

Go to your garden center and buy bags of "Soil Conditioner." Read the
ingredients, and you will probably find bark fines (finely ground,
partially rotted tree bark) and aged (rotted) manure. Another example
of organic material can be found in any part of your yard where you
have, perhaps, pile leaves and let them decay. That is prime "organic
material," and your roses will love it. Take the lower layer where the
leaves are well rotted. This is Rose Candy.

The only warning is that you want to avoid mixing "fresh" organic
materials into your soil, as the heat produced while it is breaking
down might harm the tender roots of your plants. If "composters" put
fresh tomato tops and whatever from their garbage piles in, it would
be the same thing. The stuff needs to be aged or, more accurately,
rotted.

Hope that helps.




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