So would I, Susan. I had The Dark Lady which was a bright red in my alkaline soil and got rid of it, but I notice now that it's sprung up again and want to give it another chance. Sophy's Rose is also more red than I'd like it to be. It would be nice to have a simple "fix".

Ingrid

I remember an earlier conversation about some gardeners with alkaline soil having Munstead Woods that were more pinkish than dark purple/dark wine red like it grows in my garden. They concluded the alkaline soil accounted for the difference in colors. I don't really know. I'm not even sure what kind of soil I have--except that I assume it is "average" since my macro hydrangea tends to bloom lavender or part pink and part bluish.

I am curious to see if anyone has any scientific information to prove/disprove the alkaline-color theory.

Kate

I was cleaning the birdbath and testing to see if it would clear up the leaves of choriotic growth on reine des violettes, it gets too much gray water. It was just a splash and the leaves greened up and it was well watered in. But I decided that since I use vinegar as a weed killer on the street. I should skip using it in the garden

This year we just used the eb stone fertilizer for acid loving plants and a top coat of their acid lovers potting soil

The blooms are the same hot pink, same with Munstead Wood, I think the weather has more to do with bloom color.

A better test would be to try it on one of a pair of plants in the same potting mix in the same conditions and see if it makes a difference over time and how the plant grows