Meal Worm castings are one of the cheapest organic fertilizers and soil amendments around, with an analysis of Nitrogen-4.17% Phosphorus-2.70% Potash-1.64% Sodium-62.9mg/100gms Iron-26.5mg/100gms-PH 7.25. Mealworms are the larva of the Darkling Beetle, Tenebrio Molitor, and are often available from companies that supply them as fish bait or pet food for pets that require live insect food like lizards, some birds, and some fish. Even though the castings consist of the poop and exoskeletons that were molted off growing mealworms, they don't smell bad like animal manure based products, probably because they are often fed a diet of only bran, carrots, potatoes, or even cactus. I am using several types of organic fertilizer/soil amendments this year including rabbit, steer, chicken, and horse manure, as well as meal worm castings, and am keeping records as to which seems to do the best, and which is the most cost effective. BTW, I noticed Lowes is now selling bagged chicken manure, for several years all the big box stores stopped selling it due to the bird flu scare.

The "salt index" is a concern for container planting and for seed germinations in greenhouse. The article concluded, "The best fertilizers for seed-row application have a low salt index, N compounds that do not produce free ammonia, and potassium phosphate rather than potassium chloride as the K source." I once had a wave-petunia in a container, sitting under a porch, and did not get much rain. I used a soluble high phosphorus fertilizer resulted in tons of blooms. Then the salt built up and it went brown way before the winter. That's why I'm concerned about the salt-index for my roses in containers next year. You are right, gonebananas, that ammonium sulfate is a good soil acidifier. My neighbor used an acid soluble fertilizer with ammonium sulfate with good results on her rhododendrons. Mine didn't do well on espresso ground from Starbucks. They have pink stripes, and my cement walkway still has a white stripe from coffee ground leaking out while I dragged the bag.

Hi Herding Cats: If you have any questions, check out the rosarian Karl Bapst's website. He's in zone 5a like mine, but many of his wisdom applies to warmer zones as well. The link to his website is below: Here's an excerpt from Karl regarding fertilizing: "Dry Chemical fertilizers have a tendency to burn the tiny feeder roots that develop in the spring, especially on newly planted bushes. Many years ago I lost many bushes due to over enthusiastic chemical fertilizing when I pruned in the spring thinking that it would help the bushes get off to a good start. I then found out that those feeder roots die off during our winter and must grow back in the spring so I now use organics. When fertilizing a little, often is better than a lot all at once, so let that be your guide." Karl is right, I burnt roots even with dry organic fertilizer like Rose Tone or Hollytone (both contain bone meal, high phosphorus stuff tend to burn). Any dry granules, be it organic or chem., is best applied at low temp., low dose, and plenty of rain. Here is a link that might be useful: Karl Bapst's website

Agreed - low light and too warm is usually the cause. Since nothing changed with the genetics of the plant - adjusting the conditions will correct the issue on the new leaves. Old leaves will stay green. Regarding the fertilizer, more or less balanced fertilizer in consistent low doses works usually better than high bloom, high nitrogen etc. Much more dangerous if the plants decide to go all white. Kaput. i.