“Oh I love roses! I try growing them myself, but they never get very far.”
“Would you like to know the secret to healthy rose bushes,” I asked, knowing that she would not like the answer.
“Do tell!”
Grin. “Blood.”
The customer paused, waiting for me to say that I was kidding. But I wasn’t so it never came. She became nervous.
And before I could explain that blood meal is a common soil fixer and fertilizer, she put her hands up, spun around and said-
“Bye.”
You want to know the secrets to a beautiful garden? You better be prepared for some weird shit.
Well someone felt like being the ominous witch in the small, mysterious shop today.
.
…also, tomatoes like blood too.
My interest in plants extends beyond ‘oh look a pretty flower’ and straight into ‘plants are fucking metal.’
Evidently, you’re supposed to plant garlic in the same places as your roses because the garlic will repel a rose-specific aphid.
So what I’m saying is that between the romantic symbolism of the rose, the bloodmeal in the soil, and the fresh garlic all over the place-
You could really set yourself up for an encounter with some VERY pissed vampires.
Roses really love banana skins, too. Just… stick one in there before you plant a rose bush or spronkle around one that’s already in the ground. They’ll adore you.
Mmm… blood banana.
I made tiny ass Home Depot Petunias blossom like magic that they’re nearly overtaking the trellises.
How did I accomplish this?
Once a week I bury a small amount of leftover meat in the soil.
My morning glories loved the crap out of the charred chicken bones I gave them. They’re already an enthusiastic plant, but the blooms I had this year were extraordinary.
That’s cool as heck. Is this all plants, or just specific plants? Inquiring witches want to know!
See, here we’re getting into soil chemistry, which is an entire doctorate of study and I only know a little bit above the average person.
But the primary reason why bloodmeal is used for rose cultivation is because roses grow best in nitrogen-rich soil. So plants that need a lot of nitrogen in their soil would benefit from blood meal. Others, who do not benefit from high nitrogen, would not fair well. So I would not use it on the entire garden.
Bones/bone meal are used to add phosphorus to the soil, which is why its used as a fertilizer. Generally, most plants benefit from it, but that’s not guaranteed. Crushed eggshells provide the same treatment, with the added bonus of deterring ants.
Coffee grounds will make the soil more acidic.
Ashes of hardwood trees will fix soil if it’s been overwatered. I think it serves as another nitrogen fixer, but don’t quote me on that.
I’d have to take a look in one of my books before I say anything else, but there’s tons of materials that double both as soil fixers and offerings.
As a green witch and avid Gardener and plant lover I love all of this so much. All this shit is going in my grimoire.
Published
Moonglade Poetess 