What if someone where to warn you of this simple little error would you of still done it ?
It's a forum rose friend feel free to ask a question on what that one trick pony from Transylvania Poland said
Them so called one trick ponies are hanging out every where and they do like to talk

Yes m'am or sir we all live and learn

honolulu rose, I'm glad you wrote this. While I wouldn't have guessed it in advance, what you have written reminds me of a conversation I once had with a work colleague.

He's lived in the Boston area since the early 80's, but he was born & raised on Oahu and has a masters degree in tropical horticulture from the University of Hawaii. During this conversation we briefly rambled into talking about our soil science educations (a common part of a college horticulture education - I have a bachelors degree in horticulture from Penn State). He told me that the soils of Hawaii (which are all necessarily volcanic) are distinctly different in significant ways from most of the soils of the US Mainland. His soil science education was consequently a bit different from mine.

Given that, and guessing that you probably get your water from a well somehow or other (& so the water's travelled through your volcanic rock & soil) I'm not surprised to learn the chemistry of your water is different, too.

Ignorance is NOT stupidity. Give yourself a break!

I've thought of that myself for our mountain place where the water is so hard (magnesium) you could 'bout stand a spoon in it. I was wondering about putting it it line with our drippers which should be black but get 'white' pretty quick. Now, thanks to your post, I better figure in buffering before I do anything...

Thanks for posting!

"In Poland everyone use vinegar and vodka with roses".
I believe they drink the vodka and use the vinegar on a salad, not on their roses.

Someone once suggested that I do this. I never had the nerve to try it.
Now, I'm glad I didn't.
Thank you for sharing. We must share our failures, as well as our successes -- so I appreciate the knowledge.

Jeri

The buffering capacity of the soil is also an issue here. Sandy soils change pH readily, clay (and organic?) soils do not. I doubt there is any need to adjust the pH of irrigation water, just check the soil pH occasionally.

I never had a problem adding vinegar to my water for my hydrangeas (to get blue blooms), so I never would have thought that adding only a Tbs./gal. of water would cause any harm to a plant that likes somewhat acid soil. I've never tried this on my roses though. They just get a drink of leftover coffee sometimes. I have neutral pH clay soil.

The addition of these being container plants probably enhanced the problem.

Thanks for the note and the warning, honolulu rose, you bring up such interesting topics!

Here, soil sulpher is what is recommended for lowering pH, and Aluminum sulphate for blue-ing up hydrangeas.

Thank you all for your posts,

I agree that the fact that it was done in containers was a contributing factor, but as stated the lack of buffering in the water seemed to be the real issue. Adding sulphur as mentioned in the above post is a much better solution.

As regards Poles and vodka, my grandmother was Polish, on my father's side, I think she believed vodka was a cure all, but I am not sure she used them on roses.

Personally I never drink spirits; as I observed, when I was young working as a bartender in Germany, the detrimental effect they had on most people and presumably on roses, beer and wine less so.

My grandmother however was involved in a serious motor accident when she was 84, she was not driving, and was given only a few days to live. She lived another 3 years despite very serious injuries which never fully healed. So maybe vodka is good for you after all, who knows.

It is my impression that vinegar is often used by organic gardeners to control weeds.

I added some soil sulpher to my potted blueberry plants and it appeared to make them very happy--the happiest they have been since we got them. I was concerned about adding that to a potted plant, but they liked it.

Blueberries like very acidic conditions, so I'd be careful on the dose for a rose.

As Henry said, ". . . vinegar is often used by organic gardeners to control weeds." Therefore, I was surprised that it has been suggested for use on roses and for blue-ing up hydrangeas! :-O

Interesting thread, Honolulurose. Thanks for starting it, and I think we've all learned something from it. :-)

Take care,
Debbie