Two questions:

(1) When should one stop feeding roses?

(2) I have a lot of Miracid as a leftover from a previous garden which had
many rhodos and suchlike. Is it wise to use it as a rose feed?

Just to forestall one possible objection: I don't believe for one moment
that Miracid contains enough buffered acid to enable it to function as a
serious soil acidifier. A test with litmus paper shows it to be as near as
dammit neutral in a tap water solution.

[Franz Heymann]

In article , Franz Heymann
writes
Two questions:

(1) When should one stop feeding roses?

(2) I have a lot of Miracid as a leftover from a previous garden which had
many rhodos and suchlike. Is it wise to use it as a rose feed?

Just to forestall one possible objection: I don't believe for one moment
that Miracid contains enough buffered acid to enable it to function as a
serious soil acidifier. A test with litmus paper shows it to be as near as
dammit neutral in a tap water solution.

I thought the problem with lime haters was that the particular mineral
(IIRC iron) was not easily available in an acid soil. And that things
like Miracid, rather than trying to make the soil sufficiently acid for
the iron to become available, instead supply the iron in a form that can
be assimilated even when the pH of the soil is too high.

(Rather like giving Vitamin B12 injections to pernicious anaemia
sufferers who cannot absorb B12 taken orally)
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann
writes
Two questions:

(1) When should one stop feeding roses?

(2) I have a lot of Miracid as a leftover from a previous garden which
had
many rhodos and suchlike. Is it wise to use it as a rose feed?

Just to forestall one possible objection: I don't believe for one moment
that Miracid contains enough buffered acid to enable it to function as a
serious soil acidifier. A test with litmus paper shows it to be as near
as
dammit neutral in a tap water solution.

I thought the problem with lime haters was that the particular mineral
(IIRC iron) was not easily available in an acid soil. And that things
like Miracid, rather than trying to make the soil sufficiently acid for
the iron to become available, instead supply the iron in a form that can
be assimilated even when the pH of the soil is too high.

(Rather like giving Vitamin B12 injections to pernicious anaemia
sufferers who cannot absorb B12 taken orally)

That was a rather nice analogy.
Now get down to the nitty gritty {:-): Should I use up my unwanted reserves
by feeding my roses or not?

[Franz Heymann]

In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

I thought the problem with lime haters was that the particular mineral
(IIRC iron) was not easily available in an acid soil. And that things
like Miracid, rather than trying to make the soil sufficiently acid for
the iron to become available, instead supply the iron in a form that can
be assimilated even when the pH of the soil is too high.

(Rather like giving Vitamin B12 injections to pernicious anaemia
sufferers who cannot absorb B12 taken orally)

That was a rather nice analogy.
Now get down to the nitty gritty {:-): Should I use up my unwanted reserves
by feeding my roses or not?

Well the logical conclusion of my reply would be that it can't do them
any harm. But I don't feed my roses anyway so who am I to say? ;-)

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

I thought the problem with lime haters was that the particular mineral
(IIRC iron) was not easily available in an acid soil. And that things
like Miracid, rather than trying to make the soil sufficiently acid for
the iron to become available, instead supply the iron in a form that
can
be assimilated even when the pH of the soil is too high.

(Rather like giving Vitamin B12 injections to pernicious anaemia
sufferers who cannot absorb B12 taken orally)

That was a rather nice analogy.
Now get down to the nitty gritty {:-): Should I use up my unwanted
reserves
by feeding my roses or not?

Well the logical conclusion of my reply would be that it can't do them
any harm. But I don't feed my roses anyway so who am I to say? ;-)

Unless you are gardening on a truly exceptional piece of ground, you will be
in for a very pleasant surprise if you feed them something. Even just
Growmore will be a lot better than nothing.

[Franz Heymann]

In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

Well the logical conclusion of my reply would be that it can't do them
any harm. But I don't feed my roses anyway so who am I to say? ;-)

Unless you are gardening on a truly exceptional piece of ground, you will be
in for a very pleasant surprise if you feed them something. Even just
Growmore will be a lot better than nothing.

They're far too vigorous already! ;-)
They're all shrub roses, some modern, some old, some species. All
growing in amongst the other shrubs and trees and giving a good display.
Things are doing just as well now as when I used to use growmore, so I'm
happy to leave be. It's one less job :-)
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

Well the logical conclusion of my reply would be that it can't do them
any harm. But I don't feed my roses anyway so who am I to say? ;-)

Unless you are gardening on a truly exceptional piece of ground, you will
be
in for a very pleasant surprise if you feed them something. Even just
Growmore will be a lot better than nothing.

They're far too vigorous already! ;-)
They're all shrub roses, some modern, some old, some species. All
growing in amongst the other shrubs and trees and giving a good display.
Things are doing just as well now as when I used to use growmore, so I'm
happy to leave be. It's one less job :-)

Ah, now I understand. My problem with shrub roses, as you might have
gleaned from my cries for help in the ng, is that mine are thriving so much
that the rest of my garden is in danger of being overtaken by them. Having
said that, I won't swap them for any other plant.

[Franz Heymann]