Organic Rose Gardening
Last updated by Annie on: Wednesday, Jul 21st 2010
Hi, . Today, gardening in a more organic and environmentally friendly way is becoming an ever increasingly popular choice. Rose plants were grown for centuries and centuries without the need for chemicals and the artificial interference of the human race, so there is no reason why we can’t revert to this in today’s environment. Adopting organic rose gardening can keep your family and friends, your animals and local wildlife out of the way of harmful chemicals, and your rose plants can thrive in natural surrounds.
Nature intended that plants absorb the nutrients and water they need through their roots, and through their leaves by photosynthesis, this being the method of using sunlight and water to make energy, thus enabling them to grow. Nature also intended that soil contains fungus, bacteria, worms and other organisms. These organisms break down dead matter in the soil which in turn enriches the soil with nutrients.
Nature did not intend for artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides to destroy the organisms in natural soil or change natures relationship between rose plants and soil. If this friendly bacteria is missing, the role plant roots are unprotected and harmful fungi can move in and eventually destroy the plant.
Organic rose growing is very easy and not expensive at all, as remember you are not buying expensive chemical fertilizers any more. Some soil may still need a little bit of help so you simply do this without the chemical intervention. The easiest method is to work compost into the soil in a new garden or simply as a top dressing (mulch) in an established garden. It’s simple to start a compost pile in your garden, chose an out of the way corner or little used space and just start off by adding decaying disease free plant clippings, grass cuttings, fallen leaves, animal waste, kitchen scraps such as potato and fruit peel or waste fish, add it all to the compost pile and allow it to decompose over time. You can easily create your compost pile in a container or in a pile and the only thing you will need to do is agitate or stir it occasionally to make sure it is decaying evenly throughout.
When adopting an organic gardening approach this should also include avoiding most types of pest control. However, that does not mean you will be helpless in the fight against pests. Nature intended for some pests to live on plant life by eating those pests that damage our plants, for example Ladybirds and wasps prey on insect pests. Pesticides do not know this distinction and can kill all insect pests, whether they be good or bad. If the garden is left to thrive naturally and organically on it’s own, birds, frogs, lizards and garden snakes will all eat grubs and pests. If you have no alternative but to use a pesticide you can purchase natural or organic pesticides which can be very effective and less toxic, they can also be specific in targeting a defined problem by killing that type of insect pest only with limited damage elsewhere.
We all want to achieve the most beautiful rose plants we can and this can be done very simply – organically – with your new found organic rose gardening skills.
Take care
Annie
