Over feeding my roses?

Discussion in 'Roses' started by lollipop, Jul 21, 2008.

  1. lollipop

    lollipop Gardener

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    Hello,

    Please forgive me if this is an over asked and answered question but I just want a bit of info about feeding roses.

    My routine is after the frosts pass I prune my roses to main stems etc and feed with fish blood and bone and fresh compost around the base,

    I feed them along with the rest of the garden as soon as it starts to warm a bit usually end of march.

    They come into flower and I feed again- and the rest of the garden.


    They finish flowering and I give a good feed and compost over the base for winter.


    Now is that enough or too much. I get a lot of flowers, never have any blackspot issues or mildew-get aphids but blast em with the spray on my hose. But I have read elsewhere that fortnightly feeds seem to be the norm. I thought that would be overfeeding-by quite a large amount so could do with some expert advice-not that I mean an ex-head gardener i know of or anything???!!!
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    My TopRose fertiliser packet says "One feed in the spring, and a second after the first flush".

    I think what you are doing is spot on, albeit a bit more than I do (I applied manure topdressing in the winter too).

    Only point I would make is to be careful what you use for fertiliser later on inthe year - avoid things that will create soft growth shortly before Winter arrives - so keep the Nitrogen down towards the end of the year, but you won't really want to be applying much Nitrogen anyway I expect, you need the Potassium for roots the flowers - Toprose NPK is 5-6-12
     
  3. wiseowl

    wiseowl Admin 24/7 Staff Member

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    Hi Lollypop I only feed mine twice a year ,with blood fish and Bonemeal,But really its what works for you and it looks to me that you have got it right,you see all our Roses will be growing in different soil and probably receiving different amounts of Sun and a slight variant in climate.So they will all require different feeding(horses for courses):thumb::)
     
  4. lollipop

    lollipop Gardener

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    Thank you so much both of you, Woo-you have the benefit of many years experience, I only hope I get there one day.

    again many thanks
     
  5. Pro Gard

    Pro Gard Gardener

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    I only feed once a year in the spring.
     
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