Roses are a statement flower in many UK gardens, lasting for years and years if looked after correctly.
Elise Harlock, brand manager at Prestige Flowers, said: “Roses are the stars of the garden, and with a bit of care, they will thrive.”
Whilst roses flower in the summer months, depending on variety, keeping them healthy all year long is crucial for blossoming blooms.
To make roses “bloom for longer”, the flower expert recommended lots of tips and tricks, including banana peels.
Roses are heavy feeders, meaning they need a consistent supply of nutrients to thrive, and they need feeding regularly, reducing this in the winter months.
Elise said: “You can use banana peels. They’re rich in potassium, which supports blooming.
“Just chop them up and bury them around the base of your rose bushes.”
If you’re currently in the process of introducing new roses to the garden, such as a bare root one, simply add some banana peel with the soil.
According to John Dempsey, a gardening expert at Housetastic, applying two to three peels can help newly planted roses.
The gardening pro said: “You should put a chopped banana in the bottom of the hole before inserting the plant and mixing the rest with compost and soil around the new plant.”
Gardeners can also use the common food scrap while the plant is growing to provide the soil with essential nutrients.
According to the pro, this can help to prevent the flower from becoming weak as well as prevent dull green leaves.
The fruit also contains calcium, iron, copper and manganese, providing the rose with various different immune-system-boosting nutrients.
Pruning is also essential to keep roses healthy, vigorous and “blooming for longer”, according to Elise.
She said: “Trim back dead or diseased wood and regularly deadhead spent flowers. This encourages new growth and extends the blooming season.
“You can simply snap off dead blooms with your fingers or use a pair of sharp pruners.”
Once the banana peel has been added to the soil and they have been pruned, make sure to mulch the soil to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
