Hi Jim: I'm so sorry for the loss of your sister Angela. It has pretty flowers !! Losing all leaves could be 2 reasons: salt-damage (from de-salting the walkway), or too-acidic soil from too much rain.

My Radio Times, an Austin rose, was bushy and full of leaves when it was next to the patio (with 40+ perfect blooms during spring). Then I moved it and made the soil slightly acidic by mixing pine park (pH 4.5). The bush was very sparse in leaves, and less-petals blooms.

Prior to our current 2-weeks rain, I scattered ground limestone around Radio Times ... it immediately became bushy & sprout tons of new leaves & buds. Calcium helps with utilization of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Calcium also helps to de-salt salty soil.

I have TOO MUCH ground-limestone from the quarry, if you want 20 lbs., let me know here, then I e-mail you my address. Once I receive the shipping cost, medium flat-rate box is around $12 ??, I will mail at least 20 lbs. It will save you money, since Kelp4Less sells 5 lbs. at $14, plus their is finely-ground, while mine is a mix of finely-ground and larger particles for slower-release.

Thanks Strawbhill I sure miss Angela

Thanks Strawbhill but I do not think I need any ground - limestone but will keep that in mind.

I have a friend who lives 2-3 miles from me who lives beside a limestone quarry.
His soil is much different from ours here in town...

My sister Angela only lived about 75-100 yards from us...

Hi Jim: Let's see if my tomato gets blossom-end-rot like last year. We have lime in our soil, but it's tied up due to high pH. That's why I put gypsum (with 17% sulfur and 22% calcium), the sulfur helped to lower my soil pH.

Found the amount of calcium that each tomato plant needs. My big roses are about 1/3 the size of a tomato plant, and some are much less with this past zone 5a winter. Here's the info. from link below:

"Adding Calcium Early: Tomatoes perform best when their soil has a pH level of 6.5 to 7.2. If your soil's pH level is lower, then add garden lime, also known as calcium carbonate, to your vegetable bed's soil in fall. You can use dolomite lime instead if your soil also needs more magnesium. If you forget to add the lime in fall, then add it in early spring, at least two months before you plant your tomatoes.

Adding Calcium Late - If you didnâÂÂt add lime in fall or early spring, then do so just before you plant the tomatoes, Use 3/4 cup of lime per plant, and work it into the top 8 inches. Tomato plants grown in containers need 1/4 cup of dolomite lime for every 10 quarts of potting soil."

*** From Straw: That means I should add 1/4 cup of ground lime stones to my pots. Calcium is known to make roots thicker & stronger.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amount of calcium to add to tomato plants