If you keep your pots on the ground, and earthworms can get into them, then dry organic fertilizer is OK in there. Otherwise, you may not have the organisms in your pots' soil to digest the organic fertilizer, and it may ferment rather than get "eaten", which could get stinky. I use it, but I also always find earthworms in my pots. I know that in Florida, many people keep their pots off the ground, so as to avoid root-knot nematodes getting in.

:-)

~Christopher

Thanks Christopher. My pots are right on the ground. I have too many plants to try to keep stuff off the ground here. I am slowly moving them out of pots because all the roots are growing to China through the pot holes anyways, especially the Austins that are grafted to Doc Huey. My pots are always full of earthworms so they will most likely have organisms for sure.

I wasn't sure if this brand would burn any roots in a pot since I haven't used it. Since it was so cheap, I decided to try it. I have in the past, put rabbit manure and vermicompost on the potted roses in the spring. They really like it.

~Sjn

Espoma must have made some changes. I remember seeing two different lines of their "Tones" out there. Both said "rich in organics" on the label, but one line had additional water-soluble inorganic fertilizer mixed in, and the other was totally organic. I just looked on their website, and can't seem to find the former line. Maybe they discontinued it. I'm mentioning this because that would be the only one which could burn, if you really overdid it. Now that they, apparently, switched to all-organic, there's really no need to worry about burning.

I tend to get the GardenTone, but only because my local Home Depot carries it in the big bags, and the RoseTone goes up to only 8-pound bags. The N-P-K is similar, and getting the big bags means saving some money for the amount I go through every year. I add some on top of last year's mulch, then throw a new layer of mulch on top -- both in the ground and in the pots. Yes, I mulch my pots.

:-)

~Christopher

I had seen really large bags at home Dept before, not sure if they were Hollytone or Gardentone but they didnt have them today. I went aross the street to Walmart and they were clearing out a ton of fertilizers. I got a big bag of Osmocote for $5.00 and 2 bags of rose tone, and some avocado/citrus fertilizer for 2.50 and fish fertilzer etc. I originally went to get vermiculite but got everything but...I will have to try another H Depot tomorrow.

Oh, if you want vermiculite, get it from Greenhouse Megastore. I used to get it from Home Depot, but what's described as "coarse" on the bag is more like "fine" or "medium" compared to what I got at Greenhouse Megastore. The bag is twice the size, but not twice the price -- even with shipping. And anytime I've ordered from them, I got my stuff rather quickly.

:-)

~Christopher

Are you using the vermiculite to root stuff in? I was gonna get some for rooting purposes. I didn't even realize vermiculite came in coarse, med, fine etc lol. I usually use perlite mixed with potting soil 50/50 but I was gonna try 50/50 perlite and vermiculite this time.

I can't use the burrito method for cuttings here because the humidity always makes them mold no matter what. I have really good success with rooting other stuff just using the potting soil and perlite but not great for roses so I was gonna try the vermiculite.

Yes, that will be my rooting media -- 50/50 vermiculite/perlite. But I also use it when making my various potting soil mixes. The Home Depot by me usually carries vermiculite and perlite, and that's how I got it when I needed to make potting soil. But one time I went and they were out, so I ordered online -- and later kicked myself for not getting it that way before.

:-)

~Christopher

Thanks for the heads up. I will check out the greenhouse megastore!

That's also where I got the 1gal and 2gal nursery liners for potting-up bands so they gain some size before going in the ground. I've re-used them for several years already. There's quite a bit of good stuff there.

:-)

~Christopher

Christopher - that's all you use in your pots - vermiculite/perlite? Does it work well? I'm thinking of trying peat moss mixed with perlite 50/50.

Carol

Good to know on the nursery liners if I ever need them. Some of the Ace Hardwares around here have awesome nurseries. They sold me tons of used nursery liner pots one year in various sizes dirt cheap. I sterilized them and have been using them ever since. I was growing out a bunch of brugmansia seeds that I had hybridized so I needed lots of 1,2,3,&5 gallon pots.

The vermiculite/perlite 50/50 mix was for rooting cuttings. I haven't tried it yet, but was getting myself ready to do so for another project. My potting mix has peat and composted manure along with vermiculite and perlite, plus some Garden Tone and a little slow-release limestone granules mixed in. Seed-starting would be peat/vermiculite 50/50. So, for me, it makes sense to get the larger bags of vermiculite and perlite from Greenhouse Megastore, though if I need it immediately, I make do with what Home Depot carries.

:-)

~Christopher

Composted manure? Do you think it helps? Then I guess we should stop stealing thisi thread.

Carol

Christopher - that's an incredibly detailed explanation! Thank you so much!!! I love your reasoning. I'm going to print this out for reference. :)

Carol

To the OP, I use on my roses during the growing season, monthly a half cup of Rose Tone per rose bush around the drip line. If it is a small potted plant like a mini rose, I would obviously use less Rose Tone.

I use Rose Tone too. I've also used other Tones on my potted roses. I like it a lot!!

Carol

I have used Rose Tone, Plant Tone, Holly Tone, and Garden Tone with equally good results. Whatever is cheapest on Amazon is for me. We don't have a good local source for the larger bags of Tones here. Thanks for your detailed instructions on your Magic Mix, Christopher. I need to figure out what works best in my raised bed. So far, I've been displeased with the various combos of ingredients I've tried. Diane

Thanks jazzmom. That makes sense!

Carol, glad to hear that's what you use on your potted roses. Yours always look so gorgeous.

Nanadoll good to know they are available on Amazon and any of them work well. Ive been thinking of making some raised beds for roses with cement blocks. Let us know if you find something that works for your raised bed.

Sultry - I use it once a month, then fertilize with liquids (Alaskan Fish Oil and an inorganic fertilizer 1/4 strength every other water).

Carol