Re: rose fertilizers
E.Pizzi@agora.stm.it wrote:
>
> > Subject: ROSE FERTILIZERS
> >
> > One wonders if bone meal eventially could have negative resultts on human
>
> health. The mad cow disease seems to hover near the bones of the cow and
> beef is being sold boneless in some places as an extra measure of security.
> >
> > In Italy we buy a similar slow releasing (expensive) fertilizer made of
> ground hoof-and-horn which works in a like manner.
> >
> > COMPOST - we must not forget this important organic source of all sorts
> of trace minerals as well as the value it has for adding lightness to the
> soil.
> >
> > CHEAT - for several years I have successfully not dug over or cultivated
> our rose beds.
> > Instead, after pruning, thorough weeding, a sprinkle of epson salts and
> what fertilizer I have (manure in some form from some sort of animal
> source), I a good handfull of ground llupine seeds to provide slow
> releasing nitrogen.
> > I water well, then cover the ground with a thick layer (6 to 8 sheets) of
> newspapers. This is a trick I learned from Trevor Nottle to supress weeds.
> ...do it on a day that isn't windy!
> >
> > Leave a watering and breathing space around each rose. Then cover the
> newspapers with compost, and/or mulch. The beds will look tidy and the
> newspapers will gradually break down and disappear. The worms in the
> compost will cultivate the soil for you and the minute feeding roots of the
> roses, close to the surface, will not be hurt or disturbed.
> >
> > Weeds will pop through here and there, but weAk and quite easy to yank
> out.
> >
> > At this point I am sure traditional purtists will be cringing...but I can
> simply smile, as this unorthodox cheating way has worked well for me and
> has helped my allergy to work.
Hi Helene
I am sure though at least as many organic gardeners will be at the
same time applauding your setup. What you have described is a perfect
example of organic no-till gardening and to folks like me entirely
orthodox. I cannot see anyway why a method which reduces work could be
considered as cheating. One does not, as far as I know, get marks in
gardening for one's results because of the effort they cost!!
Just two small comments. I don't think your description quite brings out
the importance of compost. We know now from numerous experiments that
it not only brings structure to the soil, but is also its most
important food supply and enlivens it with many of the organisms which
are vital to the health and wel- being of plants. Not only is it the
major food supply, but by forming humus with the mineral part of the
soil it enables the organisms to draw on its stored elements as needed
to maintain fertility. Gardeners who regularly apply compost to their
soils find they really need give very little supplementary food, even to
hungry plants like roses. The advantage of giving compost rather than
individual amendments is that the food supply in compost is well
balanced and so produces the healthiest growth in plants.
The other point is that hoof and horn meal differs from bonemeal in also
having quite a lot of nitrogen in it. Bonemeal is almost totally lacking
in nitrogen. Hoof and horn meal, because it releases its nutrients
slowly is an excellent choice for fertilzing soil mixes for pot plants,
as the goodness does not tend to wash out of the pot with watering.
Alas, it is another thing not available in New Zealand or I would
certainly use it myself for this purpose.
Happy gardening to you also. I am sure with you good technique you roses
must be flourishing.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand. (on the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Lat. 41:16S Long. 174:58E. Climate: Mediterranean/Temperate
