DIY special rose soil recipe

Rose growers can be divided into three classes: lackadaisical, committed and fanatic. Those in the first class dig a small planting hole, shove the rose in place and hope it survives. Committed rose growers follow the tips listed here. Fanatic rose growers develop their very own special rose soil and use it whenever they plant.

Pat Henry, the owner of Roses Unlimited, digs a hole eighteen inches deep and wide. She fills the hole halfway with the following soil mixture, then packs more around her rose roots as she plants it. Pat swears by the results!

Pat Henry’s Special Rose Soil

In a wheelbarrow, mix enough of the following ingredients, in the proportions indicated, to fill the hole:

one fourth part compost
one fourth part peat moss
one fourth part good topsoil
one fourth part red clay

Add and mix thoroughly:

1 cup 0-46-0 (superphosphate)
1 cup dolomitic lime
2 cups alfalfa meal (or alfalfa pellets)
1 cup gypsum