Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Best organic fertilizer for roses

CapabilityBrownCapabilityBrown Posts: 11
in Problem solving
Is anyone aware of any comparative studies that been done? There are so many choices so not sure which product to use. I prefer granular feeds because they’re less hassle and (I think) better value.

Posts

  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    I’ve used the neudorff rose and shrub food and really liked it :)
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Blood, fish and bone will do  - a small handful around the base of each plant around mid-Feb. Repeat in mid-June (if they are repeat flowering roses) and that'll do.
    A mulch with rotted manure or home-made compost in the autumn would be good, and can be repeated in Spring.
    There's nothing special about roses that they need some special or fancy feed.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • ColinAColinA Posts: 392
    I have found that chicken manure pellets work well
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    When you hear the experts talking about plant food, they usually conclude that there isn't much difference between them......
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    CapabilityBrown said:
    Is anyone aware of any comparative studies that been done?
    I haven't read up on them. I get the sense, as others have said, that they all offer similar benefits. Some use BFB. I'm trying alfafa pellets this year. I use Top Rose too. A good layer of manure will help any shrubs or young trees.

    Lots of growers seem to preference weekly liquid feed too to promote heavy flowering.

  • garrythegardenergarrythegardener Posts: 21
    I would recommend you to use nitrogen-free fertilizer which contains phosphorus and potassium. Or you can create your own compost by mixing various vegetables that is left out after the vegetable cutting. It will support strong root development and allow roses to harden off properly.
    plantgrower
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    I have always used fish blood and bonemeal although it is rapidly going up in price now , it’s always done the job for my many rose bushes and quite cheaply ( until recently) too .
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Depending on what sort of roses you grow, I’ve found they are less prone to disease when nourished with low-nitrogen fertiliser. 
Sign In or Register to comment.