Garden roses need regular spring feeding in order to stay healthy and produce beautiful blossoms.
Roses require a lot of time and care, though many gardeners are willing to overlook this because the flowers are so well-liked. Roses are used in floral decor of all kinds, and they have been the subject of art and poetry for centuries. Spring feeding is an essential step in the care of a rose bush, helping to keep the blossoms healthy and beautiful.
Organic Fertlizers
Organic fertilizers and mulches will feed roses during the spring growing period, when they need nutrients the most. Apply organic fertilizers, like bonemeal, 2 to 3 weeks before early spring pruning. Once the organic fertilizers begin to break down in the soil and soak into the ground, 1 to 2 weeks after pruning, add 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch (grass clippings, straw, wood chips) to provide the roses with more nutrients.
Commercial Fertlizers
Apply commercial fertilizers to the soil just after spring pruning is complete. Feed roses again in spring when the first flower buds appear. Fertilizers in a 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 composition are best for spring feedings. Apply 1/2 cup of fertilizer per rose plant, spreading it 6 inches away from the plant in an 18-inch circle. Gently work the fertilizer into the top inch of soil and water thoroughly once it's been applied.
Regular Feeding
Spray roses lightly every two weeks with a liquid foliar feed once rose blossoms begin to grow in spring. When flowers are fully established, the feeding schedule may be relaxed. Simply continue with a normal fertilizing routine as summer progresses. Foliar feeds are commercial fertilizers design to boost the growth of plants, and they offer an easy method for feeding roses.
Chemical Components
Fertilizers produced under any brand name are labeled in the same way, in a series of three numbers separated by hyphens (for example: 10-10-10). The numbers are always arranged in a specific order that denotes that amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contained within the fertilizer blend. Balanced fertilizers, containing equal or near-equal amounts of these minerals, are the best for roses. The ground should be watered before and after fertilizer is applied, so the soil is prepared to soak up the minerals and nutrients. In lieu of traditional commercial fertilizers, some rose gardeners apply alfalfa pellets (1 cup per plant), Epsom salts (3 oz. per plant) or gypsum (2 cups per plant).
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