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#1
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Best Mulch for roses?
What would be the best mulch to keep down weeds/grass around rose bushes,
i.e. wood-chips, pebbles, etc. without any detriment to the rose bushes. |
#2
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Best Mulch for roses?
I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that
bad if you use that in the lawn. I'd use lawn cloth. The black mesh to keep weeds down in gardens. Over it you could put something to hold it down and decorate. Rocks might be to hard on the roots... Others ? Noddy wrote: What would be the best mulch to keep down weeds/grass around rose bushes, i.e. wood-chips, pebbles, etc. without any detriment to the rose bushes. |
#3
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Best Mulch for roses?
I've read, and personally think, organic compost is best. It has the best
insulating effect, highest water retaining capacity (I water about 33% less now) and provides slow release nitrogen and other valuable sub-straights. I use a combination of well aged horse manure mixed with leaves, grass, and other good stuff, mixed with a bit of 19-19-19 to off-set the higher carbon content due to wood chips in the horse manure as well as the leaves. I mix it together in the fall and by the time the ground in the back it dried out enough the take the tractor back there, you've have some really nice stuff. A 2 to 4 inch application, topped off with a anti-emergent, and you're dancing. What few weeds that do show-up are easily removed. I have a horse farm down the road, but I know a lot of municipalities have compost piles as well. It might be worth calling around. The only down side I can see is you have to reapply ever so often. Perhaps once a year for the first few years, then less often as the lay builds. But really, isn't that part of the fun of growing roses? Regards Jeff, Southeast Michigan, Zone 5 "Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message ... I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that bad if you use that in the lawn. I'd use lawn cloth. The black mesh to keep weeds down in gardens. Over it you could put something to hold it down and decorate. Rocks might be to hard on the roots... Others ? Noddy wrote: What would be the best mulch to keep down weeds/grass around rose bushes, i.e. wood-chips, pebbles, etc. without any detriment to the rose bushes. |
#4
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Best Mulch for roses?
Does the horse manure smell (even when aged), as I would want to put it
around the outside of my deck, which is surrounded by rose-bushes? I wouldn't want eau de horse instead of eau de rose g How about cow or sheep manure, which I can buy rather than shovel? And would such compost encourage small animal activity there? Many thanks for the replies....Noddy. "Jeffrey L. Kline" wrote in message ... I've read, and personally think, organic compost is best. It has the best insulating effect, highest water retaining capacity (I water about 33% less now) and provides slow release nitrogen and other valuable sub-straights. I use a combination of well aged horse manure mixed with leaves, grass, and other good stuff, mixed with a bit of 19-19-19 to off-set the higher carbon content due to wood chips in the horse manure as well as the leaves. I mix it together in the fall and by the time the ground in the back it dried out enough the take the tractor back there, you've have some really nice stuff. A 2 to 4 inch application, topped off with a anti-emergent, and you're dancing. What few weeds that do show-up are easily removed. I have a horse farm down the road, but I know a lot of municipalities have compost piles as well. It might be worth calling around. The only down side I can see is you have to reapply ever so often. Perhaps once a year for the first few years, then less often as the lay builds. But really, isn't that part of the fun of growing roses? Regards Jeff, Southeast Michigan, Zone 5 "Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message ... I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that bad if you use that in the lawn. I'd use lawn cloth. The black mesh to keep weeds down in gardens. Over it you could put something to hold it down and decorate. Rocks might be to hard on the roots... Others ? Noddy wrote: What would be the best mulch to keep down weeds/grass around rose bushes, i.e. wood-chips, pebbles, etc. without any detriment to the rose bushes. |
#5
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Best Mulch for roses?
Nope. If the compost has any smell, it is of the earth. Horse and sheep
are about the same as far as nutrients. Don't know much about sheep manure smell. (We don't have many around here). Cow is a bit lower in N2, but its still good stuff. If your bed is small, you can buy deodorized manure by the bag at the local nursery. Here's a link that will no doubt tell you more than you ever wanted to know. http://www.plantea.com/manure.htm No problems with mice, as there in nothing in the compost that they can eat. Regards Jeff, Southeast Michigan, zone 5 "Noddy" wrote in message news:cXijl.10388$Db2.8328@edtnps83... Does the horse manure smell (even when aged), as I would want to put it around the outside of my deck, which is surrounded by rose-bushes? I wouldn't want eau de horse instead of eau de rose g How about cow or sheep manure, which I can buy rather than shovel? And would such compost encourage small animal activity there? Many thanks for the replies....Noddy. "Jeffrey L. Kline" wrote in message ... I've read, and personally think, organic compost is best. It has the best insulating effect, highest water retaining capacity (I water about 33% less now) and provides slow release nitrogen and other valuable sub-straights. I use a combination of well aged horse manure mixed with leaves, grass, and other good stuff, mixed with a bit of 19-19-19 to off-set the higher carbon content due to wood chips in the horse manure as well as the leaves. I mix it together in the fall and by the time the ground in the back it dried out enough the take the tractor back there, you've have some really nice stuff. A 2 to 4 inch application, topped off with a anti-emergent, and you're dancing. What few weeds that do show-up are easily removed. I have a horse farm down the road, but I know a lot of municipalities have compost piles as well. It might be worth calling around. The only down side I can see is you have to reapply ever so often. Perhaps once a year for the first few years, then less often as the lay builds. But really, isn't that part of the fun of growing roses? Regards Jeff, Southeast Michigan, Zone 5 "Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message ... I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that bad if you use that in the lawn. I'd use lawn cloth. The black mesh to keep weeds down in gardens. Over it you could put something to hold it down and decorate. Rocks might be to hard on the roots... Others ? Noddy wrote: What would be the best mulch to keep down weeds/grass around rose bushes, i.e. wood-chips, pebbles, etc. without any detriment to the rose bushes. |
#6
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Best Mulch for roses?
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
... I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that bad if you use that in the lawn. I have to resort to wood chips because that's the only affordable mulch I can afford here in Melbourne Australia. It gets very hot here in Summer - as you may be aware from the news reports. We are also under water restrictions thanks to the Govt here not deciding to build extra water dams and the terrible drought. I place a layer of old newspaper under the mulch and they all keep the moisture inside. But to ameliorate the effects of the nitorogen robbing wood chips - can I put extra blood and bone to counter the effect?? |
#7
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Best Mulch for roses?
I suspect so - not a chemist here.
And we use wood chips to cover bare ground so as not to walk on mud or dust. Texas gets hot also. The 1-2" thickness of wood chips - chipped by myself - seems to hold moisture by themselves and allow grass and weed to start. They take hold or the mud does so we can run the tractor mower over them without pulling them up. There are a few thin spots now and the whole area needs more. But it seems like the tale of robbing might be a bit over stated. stuff that comes up is green not yellow. So give it a try but keep watch and add as needed. And good luck down under with the massive fires. Martin YMC wrote: "Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message ... I'd steer away from wood-chips - they rob Nitrogen. Which might not be all that bad if you use that in the lawn. I have to resort to wood chips because that's the only affordable mulch I can afford here in Melbourne Australia. It gets very hot here in Summer - as you may be aware from the news reports. We are also under water restrictions thanks to the Govt here not deciding to build extra water dams and the terrible drought. I place a layer of old newspaper under the mulch and they all keep the moisture inside. But to ameliorate the effects of the nitorogen robbing wood chips - can I put extra blood and bone to counter the effect?? |
#8
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Best Mulch for roses?
"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
... The 1-2" thickness of wood chips - chipped by myself - seems to hold moisture by themselves and allow grass and weed to start. They take hold or the mud does so we can run the tractor mower over them without pulling them up. There are a few thin spots now and the whole area needs more. But it seems like the tale of robbing might be a bit over stated. stuff that comes up is green not yellow. So give it a try but keep watch and add as needed. And good luck down under with the massive fires. Oh, I am. I am using a combination of mulch and a bottom layer of soaked old newspaper for my rose beds. So far so good. The roses are holding up reasonably well despite the lack of water and the extreme heat conditions - one week of 40C... thats about 110F?? The newspaper is the thing that prevents the grass from coming up. Acts as a mat. Its free too! The only worry is that if there is a fire - having a mulch bed is a terrible fire hazard. I just read about how mulched gardens guaranteed the destruction of homes in the Canberra fire a few years back... More concerned with some jackass flicking his cig butt into my garden and causing a fire - while I am out. |
#9
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I acquire a horse acreage down the road, but I apperceive a lot of municipalities have compost accoutrements as well. It adeptness be annual calling around. The abandoned down side I can see is you acquire to reapply anytime so often. Perhaps already a year for the ancient few years, afresh below about as the lay builds.
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