Question
Can I use cold ashes from my fireplace for my roses.  Also, I have heard that used coffee grounds and eggshells might be beneficial.  Is this true? ( This is my first rose garden, can you tell?)Thanks, Shanda

Answer
Hi Shanda Glenn-

I hesitate to use coffee grounds or ashes more than 1-2 times per season because it can mess up the PH of the soil.  If you have a PH tester for the soil (which you can usually get from a mail-order garden catalog) and it states your soil is too alkaline - you can use the coffee grounds to increase the acidity of the soil.  If too acidic - then you can use the ashes.  I remember once I used the coffee grounds too much on my roses - and all of a sudden - the blooms started looking horrible - very distorted versions of what they used to look like.  Then I realized I had gone too far with the coffee grounds.  I think once a season is safe.  

I tell you - the absolute best fertilizer for roses - is manure - I usually use cow manure.  Every winter (and summer) I usually mulch the roses with manure.  The roses come out very healthy and strong and vigorous.  Another very good fertilizer that most of the rose nurseries use is: Fish Emulsion.  This organic fertilizer is very beneficial.  I remember once I used it - and within a week I had a trillion flowers!  It is safe to use it even in the triple-digit heat of summer (will not burn the foliage or turn the flower edges brown).  Also - I like to use a time release fertilizer (osmocote) and Miracle Grow.  But, not at the same time.  Usually I use the manure twice a year, time release fertilizer every 3-4 months, and in-between I use Miracle Grow.  A combination of organic and chemical fertilizers I think works best for lots of flower production and healthy roses.

Eggshells are a good source of calcium - make sure you wash them out good, let them dry, break up/crumble, then apply around the base of the roses, and dig into the soil a little bit (or put them under mulch - eggshells are not very attractive).  Eggshells are safe to apply all year long and will not hurt the rose, but only help them (roses need calcium too!).

I hope this helps - keep smelling the roses!

Carlene
aka "the Flowerlady"