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.

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

what can I use for organic material? I
don't have compost.

OLD, well rotted horse or cow manure.
Easiest to obtain is packaged peat moss.
Some municipal & county waste management programs sell or give away compost.
If you live near a forest, you can go out & collect leaf mold from the forest
floor.
If you absolutely can't find anything else, you can use sawdust or tree
chippings. However, if it is fresh, you will have to add extra fertilizer.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

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.

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

buy composted manure or saomething like 'coast of maine potting soil'
which seems mostly fishy compost

My dad taught me to use old cow manure on roses with regular feedings
of fish emulsion. Roses are heavy feeders, and do exceptionally well
with organic materials. Every gardener should have a compost pile, or
learn to make one!


On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 23:37:46 GMT, "Trish K." wrote:

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.

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

buy composted manure or saomething like 'coast of maine potting soil'
which seems mostly fishy compost

Years ago when my neighbor touted manure as a gardening cure all I
thought that quaint. Today I see it is essential for robust planting in
this soil.


Phisherman wrote:

My dad taught me to use old cow manure on roses with regular feedings
of fish emulsion. Roses are heavy feeders, and do exceptionally well
with organic materials. Every gardener should have a compost pile, or
learn to make one!


On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 23:37:46 GMT, "Trish K." wrote:

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.

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

buy composted manure or saomething like 'coast of maine potting soil'
which seems mostly fishy compost

On 17 Apr 2003 14:39:34 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.

Check your local garden store/WalMart/Home Depot for sacks of things
with "compost" or "composted" in the description. Composted/aged cow
manure would be good for roses.