Autumn soil maintenance & improvement

Autumn is THE time of year to give your rose soil a good maintenance and improvement. With soil I mean the top layer of the soil, the humus layer. This layer is our Perpetual engine that keeps turning organic matter into food for our roses. So if we don't add organic materials each year the engine will come to a stop, the fuel thank is empty.

The best time to add organic matter is at the end of October and November. The most common material is leaf or garden compost but manure compost, worm castings or even dried cow manure also works great. Now how much do we apply? As much as you can! There's no maximum. I would say a good thick layer of let's say 10 cm or 3“ thick but more is better. Just spread it around and underneath your roses and perennials till the whole soil is covered with a thick layer. This is also the best opportunity to add Volcanic Rock dust to our soil. This dust is the best provider of minerals and trace elements, it improves the soil significantly. Just spread a thin layer on the soil before you add the compost. You can work it in a little bit but that's not really necessary. When that's done you spread your organic material on top. The good soil bacteria, earthworms and other good creepy crawlies will immediately start to transform it into black gold for our roses so that by March they get the best start.

* Very sandy and poor soils can be improved by adding Bentonite clay. Just work it in your topsoil. These poorer soils need even more organic matter so give them a very thick layer.