RE: Insects and Jerry Baker - Reply

Hello Janis and All,
 According to an organic fertilizer chart put out by the Oregon State
University extension service, banana skins and cucumber skins (dried and
crumbled) rated the highest percentage of available potassium (the "K" in
N-P-K) of all organic sources tested. The cucumber skins are actually higher
in K+ than the bananas, but winter cukes are not very good eating -
certainly not like home grown summer cukes. I eat bananas and throw the
peels at the base of my rose bushes all during the winter at the rate of 2-3
whole skins per bush.  By spring when it is time to give the roses their
"spring tonic", they have dried and are easily worked into the soil.  My
surefire spring tonic recipe for anyone who might be interested is:
	For each rose bush -  2 cups alfalfa meal or pellets
				1 cup epsom salts
				1/2-1 cup dolomite lime  (unless your soil is already very alkaline)
				2 or 3 whole banana skins
	Work into the soil with a cultivator along with the compost that was used
as winter mulch/protection.  Water in well.  I really like the response I
see in the roses about 4 weeks following this "hearty meal".
Marilyn Dube'
Natural Design Plants
Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
Portland, OR   Zone 8b

-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-perennials@mallorn.com [owner-perennials@mallorn.com] On
Behalf Of LONDE@aol.com
Sent:	Saturday, June 05, 1999 7:36 PM
To:	perennials@mallorn.com
Subject:	Re: Insects and Jerry Baker - Reply

>>
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 02:06:39 EDT From: WHTROS@aol.com

>>	I've been using his Mole Recipe for 15 years.<<

I've heard other good reports on Baker's mole recipe. I don't doubt that
some
of Baker's remedies are effective.  But I also think that many of them are
quite expensive to use and that some of them are downright dangerous.

>> But Safer's sure has capitalized on his dish soap remedy!<<

HIS dish soap remedy?  People were using dish soap (and other home remedies)
on gardens long before anyone ever heard of Jerry Baker.  I'd say it is
Jerry
Baker who is doing the capitalizing.

While they work on the same basic principle, insecticidal soap and dish soap
are not the same.  The active ingredient in insecticidal soap is specially
formulated potassium salts of fatty acids.

While we're on the subject of home remedies, Kemberly asked about the
effects
of sugar and epsom salts.  Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate, a good source
of magnesium for roses and other plants that like magnesium, or for soils
that are deficient. Table sugar is sucrose, but I don't know why that would
be used in gardening.  Hope someone else will answer that one.

Many people also put banana peels on their roses.  Bananas are high in
potassium and I am guessing that is the reason.  Does anyone know for sure?

--Janis

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