Cape Diamond, purchased from Der Rosenmeister in Ithaca, NY last year
If you’ve been gardening for any length of time, a multitude of these routines accumulate after a while. Often they are based on research, or on the little booklet that came with the plant, or because your dad always did it that way. Follow the same maintenance care for a plant–or a garden–for a decade or so, and I guarantee the “why” of what you are doing, at least for some things, will fade into oblivion.
That’s why we have books like The Truth About Garden Remedies
According to Rayford Reddell, as alfalfa decomposes it yields triacontanol, which acts as a growth stimulant, encouraging basal breaks. Basal breaks is rosarian-speak for “increased vigor and flower production.” Now, I know I didn’t know that before, but I’m glad I found out.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve used ground up alfalfa as a mulch around the roses, it both feeds them and helps retain moisture.
.-= Cheryl´s last blog ..2010 Flower Subscriptions Available =-.
Twitter: @JMikWebster
Excellent. I’d never heard of that one before, but will definitely try it!
Epsom salts encourage basal breaking, too. I wonder if alfalfa and epsom salts would be too much? I liek the idea of fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Alfalfa on Roses, no. Nothing what i, my mother or grandma do.
But i agree with the tea, or whatever it was to the bushes, but never some other plants between her beloved roses.
She had really plenty of them in nearly all possible colors. For me that was the time why i started to love roses and all in all my gardenwork.
I don’t know very much about so things. For me it is a Hobby. But at least i have a lot of bloomer Orchids who comes always again. Maybe thats nothing special. But for me it’s very important and says for me, that i do everything right in my garden.
Happy gardening
.-= Sasha´s last blog ..Ogtong Cave Beach Resort in Santa Fe =-.
Twitter: @f
I didn’t know that either…and I do it each spring also. Thanks Kathy! Wonder how long I’ll remember that…
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..What’s Wrong With My Lemon Tree? =-.
It’s nice to know why we do some gardening practices. So many old practices really don’t do anything–I remember one person asking me if adding a type of fertilizer to tomatoes would stop blossom end rot, and it would actually make it worse.
Twitter: @nancybond
I believe alfalfa also fixes nitrogen in the soil, which is why so many farmers grow alfalfa crops and plow them under. It is my understanding that it also encourages worm activity…a good thing.
I’m sure your roses will love it. I remember my aunt making a foul smelling “tea” for her rose bushes and I’m sure it had alfalfa (and heaven knows what else!) in it, if memory serves correctly.
.-= Nancy Bond´s last blog ..What Makes a Post “Legitimately Good”? =-.