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donnaroe

How much Chickety Doo Doo to use?

donnaroe
9 years ago

I bought some bags of Chickety Doo Doo from Menards. How much should I put around my barefoot roses that are just starting to leaf out, and around potted roses that are fully leafed out that I just planted? Should I scratch into the soil or just sprinkle around them? We are spreading much in the new rose bed today and I would like to do this before mulching.

Comments (16)

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Donnaroe: The instructions on chickity-doo-doo for flowers are: "For perennials, apply fertilizer early in the spring and again after plants have bloomed to give plants strength for the following season. Apply 1-2 lbs. per 100 sq. feet to base of plants and rake lightly into soil. For annuals, apply fertilizer at the time of planting at the rate of 2 lbs. per 100 sq. feet of seed bed and work into the soil. When flower buds have formed, reapply at 1-2 lbs. per 100 sq. feet and rake lightly into soil. For other small applications, two cups of Chickity Doo Doo⢠equals 1 lb."

    *** From Straw: I have a bedroom which is 10' x 10', or 100 sq. feet, it's about 2 large family-vans. So for an area the size of a family-van, apply 2 cups. Definitely MIX-IN with the surface soil, then put mulch on top. I would use 1/8 cup for bareroot-roses. For potted roses (fully-leafed-out), less than 1/4 cup. For years-old BIG rose, I use only 1/2 cup.

    Chicken-manure is highest in nitrogen & salt among all the manures, less is best. I always sprinkle a tiny bit of POWDER sulfate of potash, along with chicken manure. Chikity-doo-doo is alkaline, sulfate of potash is acidic, those 2 balance each other. Potassium & calcium are essential for root-growth in new roses. Chickity-doo-doo has 9% calcium, but it's a bit short on potassium .. Roses require more potassium than other plants.


    Here is a link that might be useful: Chickity-doo-doo - how to apply

  • donnaroe
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you very much for the information, Strawberry. For some reason, I thought the rose application rate would be different than what the bag info says. I see that it isn't. Where would I find POWDER sulfate of potash? I would guess our soil makeup would be similar (Illinois & Ohio).

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Donnaroe: Below link shows sulfate of potash (potassium sulfate) at Kelp4Less sold for $8 per lb., free shipping. That arrived quickly, 2 to 3 days max. I got good result with that stuff: immediate dark-green leaves & solid root growth.

    My husband bought at a nursery a bag of potash ($15) ... but it turned out to be muriate of potash (potassium chloride), with high salt index of 116.2 ... that's the stuff we use to de-ice slippery side-walk in zone 5a. I don't recommend buying from a nursery.

    For bare-root roses, or tiny plants ... with tender roots ... U. of Kentucky recommend fertilize with SOLUBLE fertilizer, like 20-10-20, at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 2 gallon of water, 3 times a week.

    Solid fertilizer is NOT recommended for young roses, thus the logic of only 1/8 cup of chicken manure for bare-root roses. If your bare-root roses are grafted on Dr. Huey, that's a strong root system that can tolerate a tiny bit of solid fertilizer.

    Donna, I would love to hear more about your roses ... hopefully I get to see your pics. once they bloom. It's fun to see other gardens, like Mas' beautiful plantings, besides mine.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sulfate of potash for $8 per lb., free shipping

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    Thanks Straw! I used to use Chickity Doo Doo very generously all over the yard until you warned me of its salt content. I have contained myself with it since. I'll probably apply it again later in the summer.

    Here is my sole bloom of Belinda's Dream. I can attest that this rose is a fighter. I forgot to water a few potted roses in one area of the garage this winter. Needless to say after the long winter, they all died EXCEPT for Belinda. Who has two lanky, tiny canes but still gave me this pretty bloom. She will get lots of care and pampering to make up for my faux pas over the winter.

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Mas: WOW! Your Belinda Dream is absolutely beautiful, no perennials can match that beauty. This weekend I saw Belinda Dream roses in pots at Home Depot, reduced-price to $5. I was shocked, they all are lush & healthy & with blooms. I sniffed one, no scent, so I didn't buy it.

    My neighbors already asked for my tomatoes in advance .. so I save the room for heirloom tomatoes .. bought 14 plants yesterday. I saw peach-tomato, pineapple-tomato, and Mr-Stripey (with stripes) ... I had to control my urge to buy these exotic tomato.

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    Thanks! I'm in love with Belinda's Dream. That little flower is on it's third day in a vase (w/o any supplements, just water). Today, as it is opening more, it is even more beautiful. I'm going to head to my Home Depot and see if they have it. I want another one.

    Those tomatoes sound good. You need to let me know how you like the peach-tomato. I planted all of mine. My goal is to always have tomatoes before 4th of July which means that I have to have Super Sweet 100 to achieve my goal. My favorite, though, is Mortgage Lifter. I had to fence them good this year b/c my dogs love tomatoes. They tend to harvest them a day ahead of me.

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    Here is Belinda today. Just love her.

  • seaweed0212
    9 years ago

    photo taken at my garden, Costa Mesa, CA early morning today, do not use any spray, let the rose grow naturally.
    red: Liebeszauber,

    white, Madagascar Jasmine

    Mini, mauve Lavender Lace (2) & Ambiance left to LL

    bottom mauve, Love Potion

    Butter yellow, Julia Child

    Top, Dainty Bess, next to Neptune

    Pristine between 2 white Jasmine

    bottom row, L2R, Passionate Kisses, Princess de Monaco, Tiffany

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    What a gorgeous bouquet, Seaweed!!

    I planted Dainty Bess and Julia Child this spring. Can't wait to see them mature and bloom.

    I might have to put Neptune in my wish list. How much does it bloom?

  • seaweed0212
    9 years ago

    It has been a blessing re:Neptune, the second flush, and at least 10 recent week, got 5 gal pot from Armstrong garden center in 2005, lucky me, a vigorous rose plant.
    You will enjoy Dainty Bess and Julia Child as well, I like to keep Dainty Bess on the stem, this one is already bloomed the third day, love the fragrance.
    Julia Child, bought bare root at end of Jan 2014, is in the big pot and doing very well, cut it when half opens, the strong scent not ruined by sun, and it does keep the color better indoor, that is my opinion.

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the tips on cutting roses. Good to know. :)

    Do you have problems with black spot or are you blessed with dry weather? I have stayed away from HTs for many years b/c of their proneness to disease, specially black spot. My yard is blessed that I don't get mildew (knock on wood).

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Mas: Seaweed has a horrendous time with her old lap top, like it took her 1/2 hour to post a picture, versus 1 sec. with my new PC. Seaweed has the lowest rainfall in CA, 11 inches. Compare that to my 38 to 40" of rain, plus 23 to 30" of snow per year. I don't have mildew here either, unless I use high-salt chemical fertilizer.

    I'm posting this pic. from Seaweed for her. I love her many blue roses. From the top, Neptune, red Olympiad

    2nd, TM, Aquarius, Bewitched, right red Hot Cocoa

    3rd, Neptune, 2 Kay,

    bottom, Double Delight & Passionate Kisses

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    Oh Wow. That bouquet is so pretty!! I hope Seaweed is able to get her computer to work properly for her.

    I love lavender color roses but I keep hearing that they are disease prone. Do you grow any?

    Thank you both for sharing the photos.

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Mas: The only lavender I have is Angel Face, it's clean here for both me and my neighbor. There's a Kordes lavender rose, Poisedon, that Roses Unlimited carries. It's vigorous, and is grown in Russia, zone 5a. Check out this info. from HMF:

    "Poisedon is listed in Roses Unlimited booklet as "very fragrant". Pat Henry, owner of Roses Unlimited informed me that Poisedon is "very fragrant, very robust and healthy." I double-checked with another rose-grower on Poisedon, zone 6b. She also stated that Poisedon is very healthy, and has a nice scent.

    Tesselaar nursery in Australia stated on their website about Poisedon, or Novalis: "Plenty of blooms through the season that rate an impressive 5/5 on our fragrance scale. Blooms open singly and in clusters. Vigorous with a strong disease and black spot resistance. Leaves are light green.
    Named for the Romantic German writer. Bred by one of the most eminent breeders in the world, Kordes of Germany in 2010. Grows to 1m tall."

    *** From Straw: I heard good things about Neptune for alkaline soil: Neptune is a strong & disease-resistant rose, but Neptune died on a zone 5a winter.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of Poisedon in HMF

  • Mas_Loves_Roses
    9 years ago

    You are so resourceful! Thank you for the research. I think Poseidon is worth it just b/c I like the name. :)

    I just checked with RU and they will have it available next spring. I went ahead and ordered it for next spring.

    I just got Love Song from Edmund Roses. Got it from their sale. I'm going to plant it in a pot. It is a relatively new rose and there isn't a whole lot about it in terms of feedback from local growers. Sometimes that is a good thing. That way you are not prejudiced before growing a rose. We'll see how it does for me. :)

    Thanks again!

  • strawchicago z5
    9 years ago

    Hi Mas: You did great in getting Love Song .. it's voted in the Rose forum as the "best looking rose bush". Seil in MI reported that it has a nice scent. I would love to see your Love Song once it blooms .. I love all your pics.

    My Rose of Sharon (not a rose, but a perennial bush) died this past winter. The double-blue Rose of Sharon is rare, and sold for $40 per tiny plant at Spring Hill nursery. Thank God there's a tiny offspring that survived, even though the Mommy-bush died.

    Like you, Mas, I love blue flowers, should really get more blue roses like Seaweed. I use the blue Rose of Sharon flower with my roses, see below:

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