Author Topic: Using Bone meal  (Read 2365 times)

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Online ideasguy

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Using Bone meal
« on: August 13, 2009, 08:42:45 AM »
When planting out perennials, I sprinkle a little general fertiliser over the area Ive prepared, then shake a trowel of bone meal around the planting hole, then in goes the plant.

Next time I go out to see how the plant is getting on, and find the hole has been excavated :o
Depending on the type of plant, it could be OK for replanting, or broken :'(
If its been a few days since I walked that way, then the plant may be limp and close to extinction.

The culprit? My big doggie. Hes allowed the free range of the garden and obviously patrols it more that I do.
Any tips on how to deal with this?

Online Palustris

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Re: Using Bone meal
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2009, 10:29:21 AM »
Not sure how to stop it, but did read somewhere (cannot find the article at present) that people do tend to over use Bonemeal, the quantity recommended is a small handful per square yard, so a trowel ful in a small planting hole is definitely overkill.
Try mixing some pepper dust with the bonemeal.

Online ideasguy

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Re: Using Bone meal
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2009, 12:12:58 PM »
Thanks for that Eric.
Perhaps if I used less bonemeal as your source suggests then the "lure" might not be as easily detected.
Have you (or any members) tried the pepper dust? Does it work after rain?