Question
QUESTION: Is it okay to place a lye powder on rose bushes to keep worms and other insects from destroying the plant; and if so, how should it be placed-- directly on the plant, around the root; or in the flower bed. Thank you, Marilyn

ANSWER: Rose bushes will not tolerate lye on them and will re-act by making the leaves look like they are burnt.If you want an organic solution to the insect problem, then try using horticultural oil for worms and insecticidal soap for the other types of bugs.

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QUESTION: I was told to use lime not lye, sorry for the miss up. Is it okay to use lime?

Answer
Gardeners use lime on their roses when the soil is too acid because the lime sweetens it. All that it does is change the PH of the soil but doesn't do anything for the roses. However if your soil is very acid then lime will help. Use the pelleted kind of lime because the powdery type gets in your face and all over your clothes. Simply scatter a handful of the pellets around the base of the rose. Sorry, I should have picked up on the lye and known you meant lime not lye.