Re: Planting perennials
Here's an old recipe for planting roses from decades ago that I still
use a version of:
Soil enrichment recipe (per rose plant)
Compost or composted manure 1 gal (two shovels)
Peat moss, dampened 1/2 gal (one shovel)
bone meal 1/2 Cup
rock phosphate 1/2 Cup
Greensand 1/2 Cup
bloodmeal 1/2 Cup
Rose food fertilizer (organic) 1/4 Cup
Epsom Salts 2 Tablespoons (more if soil tests indicate)
Mix above thoroughly together. Dig hole for roses at least 18" deep by
18" wide. Add above mixture to bottom of hole, and sprinkle 2-3 inches
of dirt *over* the mixture so rose roots don't come into immediate
contact with the rich mixture until they've grown a bit. Add additional
compost & peat to the soil backfill (depending on your soil composition)
and water thoroughly (at least three-four gallons of water per bush).
Mulch to keep soil damp.
I've read negative reports on superphosphate and don't use it any more
for environmental reasons. Also, my soil is a bit alkaline so I use
more peat and less rock phosphate, which tends to make soil slightly
alkaline.
(So does bone meal but I can't do without it!). Rock phosphate and
greensand are said to last up to ten years, though I do add a bit of
greensand every 3-4 years or so.
Every year I add a good organic feed with an NPK of about 5-10-10 --
tomato food works for roses too!-- plus some compost or manure, epsom
salts, and kelp or fish emulsion. The roses bloom well in about 5 hours
of sun and I rarely spray for insects or disease.
For perennials in general, I use a less rich formula although I add
compost or manure every fall.
Anne LD
Zone 5b (but 7 this year!)
Margot Kane wrote:
>
> I haven't been able to find any information on what one should actually add to the mix when planting perennials. ............
>
> What do other people do?
>
> Thanks.
> Margot Kane
> Zone 7
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
