3/13/2021 – Today we fed the backyard daylilies, roses, hydrangeas, and spireas the Hooker formula with the Epsom Salts as opposed to the last feeding of daylilies when we left it out. We added the Epsom Salts this time as the Roses seemed to like it even though the soil test shows we have high magnesium.
Various folks recommend Miracle Grow for the hydrangeas. Fish Emulsion, Iron Chelate, and Epsom salts could not hurt them so we fed them like the roses. The spirea got a dose as we had some leftover.
We put a cup of Miracle Grow, a cup of Fish Emulsion, a cup of Chelated Iron by Southern Ag, and a cup of Epsom Salts into a 5-gallon bucket with 4 gallons of water. Dipped out 2 quarts for each 2-gallon watering can then filled the cans with water. Poured the concoction on each rose, daylily, hydrangea, and spirea with about 2 quarts on the large ones and one on the smaller plants.
We also fed the two larger plumbagos—at the front corners of the house—with 2 gallons each of Miracle Grow+Fish Emulsion at 1 tablespoon each per gallon. The mix was poured into the root ball and around it out at least 12 inches. They have no foliage due to the heavy freezes so we hope this will spur them into coming back strongly.
The frozen, mostly cracking stems, had been trimmed to within about 12-14″ of the root ball. Some look like they may still be alive. Branches that had rooted around the edge are beginning to sprout.
