How does Vitax Q4 compares to Vitax azalea. I havent done a soil test but I have very happy acid loving plants Acers, Camellias, rhododendrons, hydrangeas etc so I might not need to add acidic fertilizer.
The Vitax Azalea is pretty much an identical formula to the old DA one newbie. The acid ferts have a bit more of the micronutrients unavailable in alkaline soils but tiny amounts, so won’t do any harm.
The main difference is the nitrogen element seems a bit low in the Q4, 5.3 as opposed to 9 in the azalea..
Vitax Azalea:
Q4 - this was the green pack called ‘professional’, couldn’t find a nutrient list for the ordinary yellow one:
Thanks Nollie. This is good comparison. After reading your reply I looked for Vitax azalea to buy and also found a Vitax rose food, but it doesn't have those many nutrients. What is interesting is, it has low phosphorus.
That’s not a good look on Aimee is it Marlorena, didn’t you have similar issues with Sombreuil?
@cooldoc that’s true, I have the whole of the eu to play with, but the choice is often bewildering and far too tempting! I’m snowed under with new roses looking for spaces, but that didn’t stop me looking at Guillot’s website and debating the other two to accompany Versigny. I have a minimum of three rule to justify the delivery charges 😆
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
It’s a damn confusing fertiliser jungle out there @newbie! Since I haven’t done a soil test either and couldn’t say if I had a particular shortage of anything, my own instinct is to play safe and go for the all-in-one more balanced, organic-based Azalea/old DA formula. If you mulch with manure that adds extra N, so next best would be the Q4 since it seems to have everything else.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
That’s delightful @Marlorena, sigh. Wouldn’t survive here with my summer rains!
A question - well several - for you if I may..
How did your Marie Nabonnand fare in the recent cold snap, think you got down to -8c? I’m concerned it may be slightly tender and am now questioning my plan to grow it in exposed open ground on a trellis.
Tack got me thinking about roses on walls so I’m wondering if a better spot is in my one stone wall/ground soil planting area, warmer and more sheltered in winter. Would it work here do you think? Vigorous enough (it’s on laxa) to complete with the nearby wisteria only a foot or so away?
A clematis grew well here until last year’s fierce heat killed it off:
Plenty of vertical space to train along lower wires and up and around the window:
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Nollie I'm going to say you're worrying too much, if -8 is the worst you get, that's nothing for this rose. Mine has been totally unaffected by it and I've had two bouts of it lasting several days at a time this winter.. this isn't really a Tea, more a clg Hybrid Tea, despite it has a Tea/Noisette parent.. I probably wouldn't want a -15, that would be interesting.
Also, remember, my plant is own root, and I planted it in winter 2015 as a small plant, small root system. It has never suffered in any of my winters even then. I've also grown it on laxa where it took off in the first year with great vigour. I would expect to see the same for you.
Still, the wall location looks nice.. the colour would blend well with your wall I think..
..it comes into bud very early. Occasionally I might lose an odd one to severe frost in March.. I just took these photos.. ..looking bare after pruning and defoliating earlier, otherwise it retains a fair amount of foliage.. it's beginning to shoot out all over it.. no dieback whatsoever..
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Thanks Nollie. This is good comparison. After reading your reply I looked for Vitax azalea to buy and also found a Vitax rose food, but it doesn't have those many nutrients. What is interesting is, it has low phosphorus.
@cooldoc that’s true, I have the whole of the eu to play with, but the choice is often bewildering and far too tempting! I’m snowed under with new roses looking for spaces, but that didn’t stop me looking at Guillot’s website and debating the other two to accompany Versigny. I have a minimum of three rule to justify the delivery charges 😆
More an issue with rain than ageing of the bloom with 'Sombreuil'.. when it wasn't raining the blooms were exquisite, like this..
It would probably have looked fantastic last summer in the dry heat.. plus very good foliage on that rose..
Thanks for the discount code Jemula !.. they have some nice roses..
The cheapest DA bareroots are now £22.50. In another five years they will charge £30 for bareroots at this rate of knots.
I am glad there are so many alternatives.
Everything is getting expensive. Just read Bank of England news
How did your Marie Nabonnand fare in the recent cold snap, think you got down to -8c? I’m concerned it may be slightly tender and am now questioning my plan to grow it in exposed open ground on a trellis.
Tack got me thinking about roses on walls so I’m wondering if a better spot is in my one stone wall/ground soil planting area, warmer and more sheltered in winter. Would it work here do you think? Vigorous enough (it’s on laxa) to complete with the nearby wisteria only a foot or so away?
A clematis grew well here until last year’s fierce heat killed it off:
Plenty of vertical space to train along lower wires and up and around the window:
I'm going to say you're worrying too much, if -8 is the worst you get, that's nothing for this rose. Mine has been totally unaffected by it and I've had two bouts of it lasting several days at a time this winter.. this isn't really a Tea, more a clg Hybrid Tea, despite it has a Tea/Noisette parent..
I probably wouldn't want a -15, that would be interesting.
Also, remember, my plant is own root, and I planted it in winter 2015 as a small plant, small root system. It has never suffered in any of my winters even then. I've also grown it on laxa where it took off in the first year with great vigour. I would expect to see the same for you.
Still, the wall location looks nice.. the colour would blend well with your wall I think..
..it comes into bud very early. Occasionally I might lose an odd one to severe frost in March.. I just took these photos..
..looking bare after pruning and defoliating earlier, otherwise it retains a fair amount of foliage.. it's beginning to shoot out all over it.. no dieback whatsoever..