Fertilizer schedule

March is typically the month we start with fertilizing our roses as soil is warming up, temp are rising and daylight is increasing.

It's always good to remember that roses are heavy feeders so they need a lot of food to provide us with lots of beautiful flowers in late spring and summer. That being said: Once flowering roses and once flowering ramblers don't need as much fertilizer as reblooming roses. They are satisfied with one gift of organic fertilizer in March and compost in Autumn. 

So we will generally focus on our reblooming garden roses and roses in pots. ALWAYS use an organic based rose fertilizer in granulated Form. There are many good brands and it's easy to give. A good organic rose fertilizer is normally rather low in nitrogen and high in potassium with extra magnesium. 

So by mid March we give each rose about two good handfuls of fertilizer at the base of the rose. Just spread it in a little circle around the roots. Always be sure to water your roses if it doesn't rain. The fertilizer needs to get dissolved and transported to the roots of our roses so water is essential for this to happen.

Also our pots need to get the same amount of fertilizer and water if needed. 

We repeat this fertilizing each month as long as August so in April, May, June, July and August we give two handfuls of fertilizer again and water if needed. You can add your annual portion of rock dust (Volcano rock dust) in March too and one handful of dust is enough for one rose. 

Potted roses need an extra portion of fertilizer each week. For this purpose we use organic liquid fertilizer. Organic tomato or vegetable fertilizer is perfect but liquid seaweed fertilizer is just as good. Dissolve the needed amount of liquid fertilizer in your watering can and give it to your potted roses on a weekly basis. How much is enough? One liter per pot is OK, a bit more if it's dry. Never let your potted roses dry out! During hot weather it's essential you check your pots on a daily basis. When it's really hot summer weather I water my pots every two days. I give plenty of water till it comes out at the bottom. Don't put a water container underneath your pots, a rose isn't an oleander or a Canna, let the excess water drain out of the pots. 

That's it!