what is the rule for fertilizer one a mouth or less
Be a little more specific. What is your soil like? Do you amend with compost, and if so how often and with what type? How much are you watering? Are you an exhibitor or just gardening for your own enjoyment?
All those things make a difference in fertilizing.
I’m lazy about fertilizing. I compost every year, sometimes twice a year, and I use a lot of organics such as alfalfa pellets, and pelletized chicken manure, which I scatter around and let the rain and the worms do their thing. My compost generally is steer manure blend. If I have heavily composted one year, next I might use something more ‘woody’ - not barkdust, but something like yard debris style compost.
All my garden beds are ‘raised’ in the sense that I had to rebuild my soil back up after the house was built. So even tho I plant “in the ground” that ground has been built up over the years to be usable.
Have you had your soil tested by your state extension office? That is the first step in determining what will be most needed by your roses. The pH is critical for nutrient availability. What type of soil do you have (clay based, sandy loam, sandy)? Do you mind using chemical fertilizers, like Osmocote, or would you rather use organically based fertilizers such as Espoma Rose Tone, or Dr. Earth products?
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Dallas, there is no “rule”. It depends on what product you are using and the weather/environmental conditions where you are. Fertilizer is not a one-size-fits-all application. Roses need a consistent amount of feeding in order to sustain a heavy bloom production - but that does not mean put it out all the time. If you will send me an e-mail to gayeh@LPM-triallaw.com I will send you a handout from my program, Fertilizer: Right Time, Right Reason, Right Product that you might find helpful.
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Welcome Gaye, great to see you on the forum.
I second the suggestion to do a soil test. You may be surprised to see some nutrients are plentiful while others, such as nitrogen, may be very low.
I have had a soil test in 2023 and it told me to add some lime to the soil and use 16-4-8 fertilizer, which I have done, but last year was not a good year for me going roses and fell like maybe my soil need building up maybe or cut back on fertilizer to see if will help me to have a better year this year
Adding several shovels of a good compost around your roses is always a good practice. What is your pH?