Hello all,

I've been growing roses for the past 10 years and learned a lot of
what I know from my mother who when I was growing up was a rose
fanatic.

Now onto my problems... I've got 25-30 rose bushes from climbers to
antiques. I even found a forty-nine and a doctor this past Spring but
all my roses for the first time in years seem unhappy. Some I've had
for as long as 10 years but some of my roses have been purchases
within the past year. I have them planted far enough apart, added
Epson salt at the beginning of this season and add my used coffee
grounds to the soil. I've been told this is wonderful for roses and
up until this year I would've agreed but now I'm not sure what's going
on. We live in KY and this Spring was unusally rainy and cool. My
roses have good drainage but most of our soil is clay so I don't know
if this is playing into my problems also. Earlier this Spring I had a
lot of black spot but I stripped/cut the infected leaves and
surrounding leaves, cleaned the ground around the bushes and have
sprayed for black spot numerous times. Now, I'm dealing with rust and
Japense Beetles on the few bushes that have buds. Most of my roses
are "surviving" but not jumping up as usual and many have produced
only 1 or 2 buds, while some have foliage but no buds. The weather
here is due to get hot in the next few days but I'd appreciate ANY and
ALL advice on what I could be doing wrong and I can do to make them
the happy roses they were just last year! If anyone has any
suggestions of organic remedies I'd love to hear them. I can use
other sprays or fertilizers but we young children and pets and I don't
want to put anything in the gardens that would endager them. I'm not
sure if I mentioned this or not but I did put down a good mulch, (far
away from the bases of the roots though so water wouldn't bounce up
and hit the bottom leaves and start any new black spot) but after that
I'm at a loss.

Again any help would be greatly appreciated!

In L. Richardson wrote:
Hello all,

I've been growing roses for the past 10 years and learned a lot of
what I know from my mother who when I was growing up was a rose
fanatic.

Now onto my problems... I've got 25-30 rose bushes from climbers to
antiques. I even found a forty-nine and a doctor this past Spring but
all my roses for the first time in years seem unhappy. Some I've had
for as long as 10 years but some of my roses have been purchases
within the past year. I have them planted far enough apart, added
Epson salt at the beginning of this season and add my used coffee
grounds to the soil. I've been told this is wonderful for roses and
up until this year I would've agreed but now I'm not sure what's going
on.

If you haven't given the roses much food other than coffee grounds and
Epsom salts, the soil they're growing in may simply be running out of
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. My guess is that they'd need a good
feed.

If you must go organic, your options for addressing this are limited. I
would really recommend one of the chemical fertilisers, well watered in (
they're not much of a danger so long as you sprinkle them thinly and
water in immediately). Or try a soluble fertiliser like Miracle Gro on
a few bushes, and if you get any, er, miracles, you'll have found the
problem.

Next step - if fertiliser is the problem, give them a good dose and soon.
Also see if you can get some liquid seaweed emulsion, which will promote
root growth and nutrient uptake.

The slightly more worrying alternative is that you may have raised soil
acidity to the point where the roses' roots can no longer take up many
vital nutrients. Do a soil pH test and if it comes up acidic, add lime
or dolomite and work it in well to the topsoil. Mixed in properly it
won't harm anyone.

Good luck.

With all the rain, it is very possible that there are very few nutrients
left in the soil. Although your area is usually considered to be an 'acid
soil' region, clay is usually more toward the alkaline end of the scale. A
soil analysis is always a good idea when you are not getting the growth and
budding that is normal for your roses.

Be certain that the soil is acid before adding lime!!!!!

A water soluble food such as Miracle Grow is a quick way to get some
nutrients to the plants quickly. If the leaves are pale with dark veins
there is not enough iron available. This may be due to the pH of the soil
or simply a lack of iron and other nutrients. One of the aspects of Miracle
Grow is the micro nutrient compliment, these are essential to bud formation.
There are other water soluble foods available that are also good, just read
the label and look at the analysis.

Tim

Thank you for your help and suggestions!

Since the name Miracle Grow keeps coming up I have a different
question.

What would be the best way to feed the roses? I ask this due to all
my roses get early morning to late afternoon sun and I don't want to
burn any leaves. However, if I wait until the sun is over our house
then it's to late in the day to spray the leaves due to I'm afraid of
black spot. Would it be better to water the roses at the base in the
late afternoon with a Miracle Grow mixture or what about mixing
Miracle Grow straight into the soil and then watering the bushes?

I'll get a test kit tomorrow and again thank you for your help!

L. Richardson wrote:


What would be the best way to feed the roses? I ask this due to all
my roses get early morning to late afternoon sun and I don't want to
burn any leaves. However, if I wait until the sun is over our house
then it's to late in the day to spray the leaves due to I'm afraid of
black spot. Would it be better to water the roses at the base in the
late afternoon with a Miracle Grow mixture or what about mixing
Miracle Grow straight into the soil and then watering the bushes?

The key is to make sure your rose is well watered before and after your
fertilize because the fertilizer will make greater water demands on
your rose. If the temperatures are really high, wait for a break in the
heat wave. Lack of nutrients for a week or two never caused much
damage, but fertilizing when the plant is dry or letting it dry out
afterwards can cause a lot! At this time of year the transpiration
index is pretty much at the maximum because of many hours of daylight
and high temperatures.

Water well the day before. Early the next morning, dissolve the
fertilizer in water at *half* the recommended rate. Apply the solution,
already dissolved, to the roots if you don't want to get the foliage
wet. Then water well that day and the next several days.

Since you did ask for organic remedies
I'll make my shameless plug for fish emulsion.

Go to your neighbhorhood nursery and
ask for it. It does stink but goes away in a day.
Impossible to overdose or burn. My gallon jug
lasts 2 years for 100+ roses.

--
Theo in Zone 5
Kansas City

"L. Richardson" wrote in message
om...
Thank you for your help and suggestions!

Since the name Miracle Grow keeps coming up I have a different
question.

What would be the best way to feed the roses? I ask this due to all
my roses get early morning to late afternoon sun and I don't want to
burn any leaves. However, if I wait until the sun is over our house
then it's to late in the day to spray the leaves due to I'm afraid of
black spot. Would it be better to water the roses at the base in the
late afternoon with a Miracle Grow mixture or what about mixing
Miracle Grow straight into the soil and then watering the bushes?

I'll get a test kit tomorrow and again thank you for your help!