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Feeding roses
Hello all.
Can somebody advise me on whether I should be applying rose food around my roses before applying a good dollop of manure, or doesn't it matter. I've spoken with advisors from David Austin roses, who don't really know.
My other question is I have bark on my flower beds, when it comes to feeding, does the bark restrict the nutrients from getting into the soil?
Your advice would be greatly appreciated .
Thank you
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I tend to put manure around the roses in the autumn, and BF&B, or specialised rose food in the spring. I would pull the bark mulch away from the root area before adding the manure or fertiliser. You can put the bark back over the fertiliser.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If I haven't got around to the manure in autumn then I sprinkle the rose food around before adding manure. I have 2 beds with bark and I just chuck the fertiliser on, it would take ages to move the bark away from each shrub and plant. Then I hope the rain will wash it in.
Thank you both.
I also had a really bad year last year. My roses and apple trees had black spot. Any advice? the leaves all fell off and the roses didn't look as beautiful since 2013
Start spraying with Rose Clear as soon as possible, even before leaves are out properly. Make sure the roses are fed and watered enough as a healthy plant is more resistant. When the spring is wet the black spot is usually worse. Clear up dead leaves and burn them, or bag them and put them in the rubbish (not for re-cycling).