Feeding Roses – The Ultimate Recipe

The ultimate recipe for feeding roses includes a variety of ingredients meant to nurture your roses into spectacular bloom with healthy vibrant foliage.

Inspired by our friend, local rosarian, the late David Lowell, this program provides for general plant vigor and wonderful looking roses! For use on established roses only (planted for at least 6 months).

Feed now and exhibit in the Mt. Diablo Rose Society Fall Rose Show on October 14th & 15th here at Alden Lane.

davesrosemarch[1]Apply in AUGUST and MARCH.

For each rose apply:

  • Use a 5-5-5 for the August Application – 1/2 cup/rose (4# box for about 9 roses)
    Use a 16-16-16 for the March Application – 1/2 cup per rose (5# bag for 18 roses)
  • Bone Meal – 1/2 cup per rose (4# bag for 18 roses)
  • Sulfur* – 1/2 cup per rose (5# bag for 18 roses)
  • Gypsum – 1/2 cup per rose (5# bag for 18 roses)
  • Magnesium Sulfate – 2 Tbs. per rose (5# bag for 70+ roses)
  • Chicken Fertilizer – 1 shovel per rose (1 bag for 9 roses)

*To supply sulfur, use one of the following: Iron Sulfate, Iron Plus*, or Soil Sulfur. Iron containing products can stain. Wash off adjacent paving after application. (*Iron Plus is non-staining.)

Make sure to water your roses the day before feeding. Sprinkle the first 5 ingredients around each rose and mix into soil if possible. Then sprinkle the chicken fertilizer around each rose and water everything in.

Do NOT combine this recipe with systemic rose fertilizer. It poses a serious health risk to pets if ingested. Pets are attracted to the bone meal and may ingest systemic rose food if it is included in this recipe or applied other months in the same area.

Alden Lane Nursery recommends applying Master Nursery Rose and Flower Food monthly, April through July and September (skipping August for Spring and Fall Fertilizer Program above).

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