Don’t you just love seeing your roses in full bloom, healthy, and thriving? For your roses to be healthy, they need a continuous flow of nutrients. Additionally, this will help them withstand insect and disease problems. With so many fertilizers out there, it can be confusing to know how and when to use them for your roses. Don’t worry; we will guide you in proper rose fertilization!
What Nutrients Do They Need
All plants need macronutrients, which are the following
- Nitrogen (N): Nitrogen encourages healthy leaf growth, which is crucial for roses because their ability to make flowers resides in its leaves. However, too much nitrogen may result in too much foliage and fewer blooms. On the other hand, not enough nitrogen can cause the leaves to turn yellow and have smaller blooms.
- Phosphorus (P): It encourages healthy root development and better flower production. Not enough phosphorus can make the leaves drop, weaken the stems, and cause the buds to not open.
- Potassium (K): It helps roses recover when stressed by disease, insect damage, or extreme weather conditions. When there’s little to no potassium, the leaf margins of roses can turn yellow. Additionally, it can weaken the stems and have poorly developed buds.
Aside from these macronutrients, roses need micronutrients, such as:
- Calcium, Magnesium, Boron, Copper, Sulfur, Iron, Manganese and Zinc.
How to Fertilize
For newly planted roses, add rich organic matter into the planting hole and then add slow-release fertilizer. Sprinkle at least 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Epsom salt around the base of the plant. By doing so, it will promote foliar and cane development. Make sure to fertilize every 3-4 weeks with a mild fertilizer.
If you already have established roses, it’s important to start fertilizing early to mid-spring, or when you no
tice new leaves emerging. In this case, you need to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer for the first application to kickstart leaf development.
You should also use Epsom salt that will help encourage new cane development and lush. When the shoots are 4-5 inches long, add slow-release fertilizer. Continue to feed every 2-4 weeks during the growing season.
When it’s late summer to early fall, you need to add a slow-release fertilizer with low nitrogen content to promote better root growth and next year’s blooms. Stop fertilizing 6-8 weeks before the average first frost date.
In the case of container roses, they may need to be fertilized more often compared to the ones planted on the ground.
Use the Best Fertilizer
When fertilizing your roses, it’s important to use organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are the ones taken from plant or animal matter, which are better for the environment. There are plenty of organic fertilizers in the market today, which can be a bit overwhelming. It’s crucial to research properly to help you find the best one to use for your roses.
Now, you can look forward to more beautiful and healthier roses when you use these fertilizing tips. Let them bloom!
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