Using homemade compost from kitchen waste is an excellent and sustainable way to enhance the soil around your rose plants. Compost improves soil structure, provides essential nutrients, and promotes overall plant health. Here’s a guide on how to save rose plants with homemade compost:

Materials Needed:

  1. Kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, etc.)
  2. Compost bin or compost pile
  3. Carbon-rich materials (brown materials like dried leaves, shredded newspaper, cardboard)
  4. Garden fork or shovel
  5. Watering can or hose

Steps:

1. Start Composting:

  • Begin by setting up a compost bin or designate an area in your garden for a compost pile. If using a compost bin, ensure it has good aeration and drainage.

2. Collect Kitchen Waste:

  • Collect kitchen waste such as fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, eggshells, and non-meat food scraps. Avoid adding dairy, meat, and oily items, as they can attract pests and slow down the composting process.

3. Layering:

  • For effective composting, create a balance between nitrogen-rich materials (kitchen waste) and carbon-rich materials (brown materials like dried leaves, shredded newspaper, or cardboard). Aim for a roughly 2:1 ratio of brown to green materials.

4. Chop or Shred:

  • Chop or shred larger kitchen waste items to speed up the composting process. Smaller particles break down more quickly.

5. Turn and Mix:

  • Regularly turn and mix the compost pile with a garden fork or shovel. This helps aerate the compost and promotes even decomposition. Turning the compost every few weeks speeds up the process.

6. Maintain Moisture:

  • Keep the compost pile consistently moist. If it becomes too dry, add water. If it’s too wet, add more dry, brown materials to balance it out.

7. Wait for Compost Maturity:

  • Composting can take a few weeks to several months, depending on factors such as the size of the pile, the materials used, and environmental conditions. Mature compost is dark, crumbly, and has a earthy smell.

8. Apply Compost to Rose Plants:

  • Once the compost is mature, apply it to the soil around your rose plants. Spread a layer of compost around the base of the plants, avoiding direct contact with stems.

9. Mulch with Compost:

  • Use compost as a mulch around the rose plants. Mulching helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and provide a steady release of nutrients as it breaks down.

10. Watering:

  • Water the rose plants regularly, especially during dry periods. The compost will improve the soil’s water retention capacity.

Tips for Success:

  • Avoid Certain Materials: Avoid adding diseased plant material, weeds with seeds, and pet wastes to your compost pile, as these can introduce problems.
  • Balance is Key: Ensure a balance between green and brown materials in your compost pile to optimize the composting process.
  • Regular Turning: Turning the compost regularly accelerates decomposition and prevents unpleasant odors.
  • Compost Tea: Consider making compost tea by steeping compost in water. Use the tea as a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer for your rose plants.
  • Continuous Composting: As you harvest compost, continue adding kitchen waste to your compost bin to maintain a steady supply of homemade compost.

By enriching the soil around your rose plants with homemade compost, you provide them with a nutrient-rich environment, improving their overall health and resilience. Additionally, composting kitchen waste is an eco-friendly practice that reduces landfill waste and supports sustainable gardening.