Corn Meal on Roses

[sewfarsewgood]

Why again was I supposed to do this this??

Gary J

[shepp]

hey gary beats me . i have never heard of it . maybe so u can atract rabbits and dear and mice to eat your RoseS.H ope this helps. so u dont use it .SHepp

[Gene]

Gary You don't suppose it was to keep ants away I heard the eat it and they can't burp so the blow up.In an my book it says corn grain has1.65 N,.65 P ,.33K percent that is.
Now I do put a couple of Banna peels around mine for the potassium and a little epson salt about 2 table spoons .

[sewfarsewgood]

Had to do something with preventing mold or mildew or something like that. OK Ann - your turn to respond.

Gary J

[Ann B.]

Gary,

I haven't heard about the corn meal trick. I agree with SHepp that it would attract varments, and in the south it would definitely feed the ants, rabbit and deer.

Gene, I have heard the story about grits causing the fire ants to explode. But I have also heard that this technique doesn't really work. I have seen several episodes on HGTV where it was suggested to use banana peels on rose bushes, but I have avoided that due to fact that fire ants are such a severe problem here, and they feed on anything and everything.

Okay, so I have to admit, fire ants entered the United States through our local ports in Mobile in a shipment of bananas, so what may work in other parts of the country may not work here because these viscious and painful critters are quite plentiful in this area (to put it mildly).

I seem to remember something about baking soda mixed with water and sprayed on the rose bush would help prevent black spot, and I am not familiar with the chemical makeup of baking soda.

Good Luck, Gary! The corn meal idea is certainly a new one to me, but please do keep us posted if you find out more!

Thanks...

[sewfarsewgood]

I did a gogle search and somehow putting the cornmeal on the surface of the soil is supposed to help prevent black spot - or so it says. The corn meal molds and something helps prevent blackspot. I am not a rosarian and was hoping someone else would know. BTW - bleached white flour is an excellent insecticide or dust for plants. Its about the only thing a normal Mormon would use white flour for - much prefer whole wheat. I had some unused and bad cornmeal I needed to get rid of - which brought up the question.

Gary J

[sewfarsewgood]

Looks like I have started a cooking and Baking Forum.

Wehave food storage and this is just some real old stuff that I found that I wanted to get rid of. I'll feed it to the chickens.

Gary J

[shepp]

It seems to me that the U.S.D.A. approved baking soda last year or so as a fungicide. i have used it in my GH will no ill effects.
i cant remeber where i read it . but i thought i would throw my 2 cents worth in the pie dough. i know i would much rather use it than some other chemicals i will leave unmentioned.SHepp.

[Ann B.]

Here are some links to interesting articles regarding baking powder and fungicides and a link that I use frequently to online Pesticide Label information.

Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide (http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/bakingsoda.html)
by
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)

"Baking Soda" Update (http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/cespubs/hyg/html/199809a.html)
by
University of Illinois Extension

Pesticide Labels Index Page (http://www.aces.edu/department/ent/labels/main_labels.html)
by
Alabama Cooperative Extension Service

[sunrisegirl]

It sounds nutty, but...my Lowes store has it for sale in the garden center...here is a link that may help (page down)



http://agfacts.tamu.edu/D11/Victoria/AG/HomeHort/LANDSCAP/nbrwnpch.htm

:eek:

[sewfarsewgood]

Well after a long time I have found out what the cornmeal does for Roses.

Whole germ ground cornmeal (the whole grain, stone ground, unbleached stuff) contains a fungus is acts as a fungicide, mildewcide, and bactericide that when it is sprinkled on the surface of the soil around roses (and any other plant for that matter) out competes the fungi etc that attack the roses and kills them. It prevents black spot, powdery mildew etc. You apply it around the roses monthly, but some use it more frequently in moist areas (every two weeks).

I use Neem Oil for the same thing too as it controls aphids, grasshoppers, all sorts of caterpilars and even japanese beetles. HOWEVER cornmeal is much cheaper.