How to Make Roses Bloom With Coffee Grounds And Banana

From Plant Care Today website...  By eHow Contributor

Gardeners are constantly looking for ways to make their roses healthier and bigger. One secret of successful rose gardeners is as close as your kitchen. Coffee grounds have long been recognized for their contributions to garden compost and fertilizers. The nitrogen-rich grounds are particularly beneficial to acid-loving plants such as roses. Potassium-rich banana peels feed the roses, strengthening them to resist disease.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Cut the banana peel into small pieces with a knife. Don't use the whole banana, just the peel. Store the peels in a zippered plastic bag in the refrigerator for a day or so until you have enough to sprinkle around the base of a rose bush. Don't wait until they rot to distribute them. You can sprinkle a few peels every day, if you have them.

     Alternatively, bury an entire banana peel just under the soil of each rose bush. As it biodegrades, the peel releases potassium and feeds the rose bush.
   • 2
     Collect leftover coffee grounds in a container. When you have several cups of spent grounds, add the coffee to a bucket of water.
   • TIP: One viewer's comment is that you should dry the coffee beans first before using them. And do not use Instant coffee.
   • 3
     Pour the coffee and water mixture around the base of the roses at least twice a year in spring and fall. You can apply it more often if you like, as the nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium content is no higher than you'd find in good compost.

     Alternatively, sprinkle the dry coffee grounds on top of the soil around the base of the rose bush.
   • 4
     Amend the soil around the roses in the usual manner. Banana peels and coffee grounds do not provide all the nutrients normally found in well-prepared rose beds.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't neglect to fertilize your roses soil on a regular basis. Using ground fish gut fertilizer is a good source of plant nutrition and won't burn your roses if you apply too much.