It's a decent enough but expensive fertilizer and as such should be applied in spring after the last frost date. Despite the claims that it cures warts and makes the blind to see, I haven't found it to be terribly useful for anything but fertilizer. And, alfalfa is better and cheaper for that if you want an organic fertilizer.

I use the cornmeal grade that I buy at my local feedstore. 50# bag for about $5.

I didn't know that cornmeal was a great fertilizer and could help with blackspot. I grow roses in containers, floribundas mostly, and have battled blackspot every year. I almost gave up on my roses it was so bad this year. I did lose one but the others are holding on. Can you tell me about the famous baking soda spray? How much and how often? I've got to give my roses a fighting chance!

OK, I have heard of using corn meal but figured it could not be more beneficial than "corn" so I didn't try it. I did not get alfalfa pellets in time to try them but I did buy a couple of bags of worm castings from Chef's Garden in Heflin, AL and I am sold on them. I used them on about 500 daylilies and I still have a bit of one bag left and the cost was not very much. I had already appplied Osmocote to my plants before I began using the worm castins, but I really could see a difference in the new plants that I fed the worm castings and it is logical to me too! If I can't understand 'why' something is beneficial I have a hard time being convenienced. I do understand the alfalfa and still plan to try that too and just see what I like best or it may end up like my soil mixtures. I use 4 or 5 different things when I mix up a batch of soil when I am setting out plants and I have it down to what I call my 'rocket booster' mix. Sorry....it's a secret formula! LOL

"Can you tell me about the famous baking soda spray? How much and how often?"

Sure! : )

Mix one teaspoon of baking soda per gallon of water, mix up until baking soda dissolves, then add a few drops of dish washing liquid. Spray roses once a week, and right after it rains. This is supposed to be an excellent preventative measure. If your roses already have BS, it's supposed to freeze the BS from spreading, but not make the spots go away.

I can't vouch yet for the effectiveness, but it's certainly cheaper (and better for the environment) that store-bought sprays. So many rose places are recommending this (magazines, societies, the rose forum, etc.) that I had to try it. As with the cornstarch, I'll have to wait and see.

Thanks LaurelLily! I'll try the magic bakingsoda potion. In fact, I've decided to remove the roses from the containers and plant them. (I want to put hibiscus(?) in the pots in spring). Maybe having a new home and using the bakingsoda spray will make them happy!