Roses are fragrant plants that make for gorgeous displays in any garden. However, getting them to bloom is something you may struggle with. These delicate blossoms are heavy feeders, so they’ll need a lot of nutrients and must be fed regularly. They continually drain nutrients and resources as they grow. This is not only to produce their beautiful blooms, but to grow thick foliage and new shoots too.
According to Jim and Mary Competti behind the gardening blog This Is My Garden, if you want to “grow healthier, bigger, brighter roses that produce loads of blooms longer than ever”, then “it’s vital to fertilise your rose bushes”. It starts with fertilising them in the early spring, just as your roses start to grow.
Using the right type of fertiliser at a few key times of the year will ensure that your rose bushes look “healthy and produce stunning blooms all summer long.”
Gardeners need to feed their roses in early spring as this gives them the “power to wake up” and not only produce their foliage but store energy for their blooms later in the season. Gardeners would typically need to use a slow-release fertiliser at this time.
Two of the best natural options for slow-release fertilisers are worm castings and compost.
When worm casting and compost are used together, they can provide a steady supply of readily available early spring power. The gardening pros said: “This power can keep rose bushes healthy and blooming strong all season long.”
Mix half a cup to a full cup of castings in the soil early in the season to provide plenty of steady power.
As castings can be slightly alkaline and roses prefer slightly acidic soil, applying a few cups of compost to the base of plants when feeding with castings will help counterbalance that.
Compost is 100% organic, and its nutrients are easily absorbed by roses, so it can be used in place of granular fertilisers if desired.
When fertilising roses in late spring and summer, liquid fertiliser is the perfect complement to slow-release fertiliser once plants are ready to bloom.
If you want a homemade option, you can create a powerful fertilising tea from compost or worm castings.
