Exhibit E: Municipal Rose Garden Research Project
Exhibit A | Exhibit B | Exhibit C |
Exhibit D: page 1 page 2 | Exhibit E | Exhibit F
FERTILIZER USED IN 2008 IN THE LAURA CONYERS SMITH
MUNICIPAL ROSE GARDEN
(Prior to using EARTH RIGHT products)
69 – 50# BAGS OF F & B ROSE FOOD 8 – 10 – 4 = 276 – 345 – 138
10.8 (ROUNDING TO 11) – 50# BAGS OF OSMOCOTE OR PETERS 8 – 10 – 4 = 44-55-22
Total NPK annually on the same area covered by Earth Right Products
N – 320; P – 400; K – 160
Fertilizer Records 2009 Forward for Just the Roses
| Year | Earth Right Super Stuff | The Mushroom Stuff |
Sure Bloom® Natural | Sure Bloom® 6-7-6 | Total NPK | Notes |
| 2009 | 50 gal | 50 gal | 10 gal | 80 gal |
N – 41.76 P – 48.72 K – 41.76 |
The entire rose garden was redesigned and replaced. There were 2000 roses removed and we replanted with new roses. The beds were full of clay and gumbo and we were unsure how well the newly designed garden would perform. When irrigation was going in we found gumbo as well as clay as deep as 4 feet. There was a lot of rain, more than we normally have experienced. Nevertheless, the roses grew to over expectations in terms of height and strength. We had a couple of small spots that held water but were able to get rid of that in 2010. |
| 2010 | 59 gal | 90 gal | 33 gal | 35 gal |
N – 18.27 P – 21.32 K – 18.27 |
We had higher than normal temperatures and precipitation. |
| 2011 | 30 gal | 40 gal | 20 gal | 65 gal |
N – 33.93 P – 39.59 K – 33.93 |
We replaced some varieties in the west bed and created new beds in the southwest outer ring. Everything performed well. The new area had been highly compacted from construction as heavy equipment drove through the area repeatedly. This has not affected the health of the roses because the Earth Right program loosens the soil. Temperature and precipitation was just slightly above average. |
| 2012 | 94 gal | 94 gal | 84 gal | 38 gal |
N – 19.84 P – 3.14 K – 19.84 |
We had drought conditions from the winter of 2011 through all of 2012 with very high heat in the summer. High levels of Earth Right Super Stuff, The Mushroom Stuff and Sure Bloom® Natural were needed to keep roses cool, blooming and showy since our summer was so hot, with temperatures of over 100 degrees for weeks on end. In 2012 we moved Wild Blue Yonder from the west garden to the southwest garden. We moved other roses and most roses performed well despite the heat. We received bare root roses too late in the season and they did not perform well because the heat started too early in the season and so we will replace those roses in 2013. |
COMPARISON CHART
This chart compares NPK numbers of Commercial Fertilizer vs. Sure Bloom® 6-7-6 for Sustainability Issues.
There is a substantial amount of savings for the water table and environment. There is also less salts applied when using Sure Bloom® 6-7-6 compared with the commercial fertilizers. For the purposes of this comparison we have rounded the numbers either up or down.
| Year | NPK | Saving for Sustainability of N | Saving for Sustainability of P | Saving for Sustainability of K | Notes |
| 2008 Commercial Fertilizers | 320 – 400 – 160 | — | — | — | In general before we implemented the Earth Right program we used higher levels of NPK that are in line with levels recommended by ARS. |
| 2009 | 41.76 – 48.72 – 41.76 | 278 lbs | 351 lbs | 119 lbs | |
| 2010 | 18.27 – 21.32 – 18.27 | 320 lbs | 379 lbs | 141 lbs | |
| 2011 | 33.93 – 39.59 – 33.93 | 286 lbs | 360 lbs | 126 lbs | |
| 2012 | 19.84 – 23.14 – 19.84 | 300 lbs | 380 lbs | 140 lbs |
COMPARISON OF THE SPRAYING RECORD FOR PAST YEARS AND FOR 2012
| Past years average | 2012 |
| 0 x April | 2 x April |
| 3 x May | 5 x May |
| 5 x June | 2 x June |
| 4 x July | 1 x July |
| 4 x August | 0 x August |
| 4 x September | 3 x September |
| 0 x October | 2 x October |
The 2012 season started a month early so that is why we started spraying in April. We had such hot temperatures in the months of June , July, August and September we did not spray so as not to burn the roses. The roses went through the drought and extreme heat very well they did not look affected by the high temperatures. They continued to bloom and put on new growth.
| Past years | 2012 |
| 20 sprays | 15 sprays |