Revolutionize your rose garden: Vodka, the surprising secret weapon
Inspiration for painters and writers, a symbol of love and passion. We're talking about roses, arguably the most stunning flowers to grace gardens. Cultivating them might seem daunting due to fungal diseases and rampant pests, but there is a simple spray solution to protect them.
5:29 PM EDT, May 8, 2024
Elegant, colorful, and fragrant, roses have captivated painters, writers, poets, artists, and perfumers for years. It's easy to see why many are drawn to planting them. However, growing roses comes with its challenges. These plants are quite demanding and highly susceptible to diseases.
How to care for roses?
There are around 20,000 different rose varieties worldwide, each varying in color and size. These bushes can range from about 3 to 6 feet in height and thrive equally well in flower beds, pots, or directly in the ground. However, roses are particularly fussy, necessitating consistent watering, fertilization, and pruning.
Providing your rose bushes with optimal growth conditions is crucial to ensuring their beautiful blooms. Roses prefer sunny spots sheltered from the wind. The soil should be rich and clayey, with a neutral or slightly acidic pH.
Roses need regular watering, especially during the spring and summer, about once a week with plenty of water. Constantly water directly at the roots to avoid leaf diseases, as the bush is prone to fungal infections.
Add this to water and your roses will thrive, pest-free
Caring for roses isn't overly complex, but fungal diseases and pests can nonetheless pose a significant threat. What's the secret to protection? Surprisingly, vodka. While it may seem odd, vodka has been a longstanding remedy in gardening.
Alcohol helps disinfect the soil and wards off pests that prey on leaves, besides promoting and prolonging the bloom period. How should you use vodka in your garden? Mix two cups of pure vodka with about 2.6 gallons of water. Apply around 0.8 gallons of this mixture to the roots every two weeks during the blooming season.
Are you looking to combat pests? Swap your standard conditioner for a homemade spray of water, vodka, and gray soap. Grate 1.4 ounces of gray soap and dissolve it in roughly 0.26 gallons of water. Add 3.4 ounces of vodka, and use this mixture to spritz infected leaves. Aim for early or late evening to prevent the sun from scorching the leaves.
Source: Wprost
