SAN DIEGO ROSE SOCIETY FERTILIZER TIPS

Rosarians around the world know roses are heavy feeders and benefit from a regular food and water diet throughout the growing year (typically 1-2 times per month from Feb 14 to Oct 1). Our society is committed to helping to provide this optimum diet for our roses. Our members-only fertilizer sale happens every December. Here’s your chance to plan ahead to provide our roses with the BEST and LEAST EXPENSIVE nutrients for optimum growth. We lovingly give our roses their first spring feeding on February 14.

In times of drought it is important that we feed our roses well & regularly. When roses are fed well they develop strong roots extending deep into the soil, and can withstand drought much easier.  

BioStart 3-4-3 Organic Fertilizer from Growmore is manufactured fresh each year with bone meal, potassium sulfate, humic acid, beneficial bacteria, ecto and endo mycorrhizae.  BioStart can be applied at a rate of 2 cups per large bush and 1 cup per small rose bush in the spring. One 50 pound bag contains about 100 cups and will feed about 50 large roses once or 25 roses two times.  BioStart may be reapplied in the late summer for a renewed fall bloom.  WE ARE THE ONLY SOURCE IN THE U.S. FOR THIS AMAZING PRODUCT. Note: This product expires after 2 years on your shelf.

Magnum Rose 8-10-8 Water Soluble Fertilizer is formulated for roses, contains all needed micronutrients and can be applied 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water. One gallon per large rose, ½ gallon per small bush applied every 2 weeks from March 1st to October 15 (that is 18 feedings).  One pound = about 32 tablespoons.  One 25 pound bag will feed about 25 roses.

Better Than Fish can be added, 1 tablespoon, to the same gallon of water. One gallon contains about 250 tablespoons, which will feed about 16 roses if applied as above through the growing season.  

Seaweed Extract Liquified Organic Kelp provides improved root development, more vigorous growth, increased resistance to diseases & insects and can be added, 1 tablespoon to the above gallon of water. 

Jump Start Plant Tonic brings new life into older plants and gives new plants an extra boost by providing vitamins and minerals needed to encourage new growth and stress resistance, accelerating leaf, stem and root growth. Both Superthrive and Jump Start contain Triacontanol, the “magic hormone”. Jump Start beats Superthrive in performance and price. Apply 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. 

ADDITIONAL FERTILIZER 

Think about trying some of these products which can be used by adding them to your existing program of applying Magnum and/or Fish, & Seaweed by the gallon to your roses. This would include  Biocozyme and Humic Acid. If you currently use/buy any iron product for your roses. Eddha 6% is a good price and can be added to the above several times a year for increasing the deep green leaves. 

Dexter, from GrowMore talked a lot about the benefits of foliar feeding with Seaweed. Dexter adds the other water solubles to that sprayer to fertilize his garden. Past President Bob Martin added SeaGrow  16-16-16 to his feeding program for several years and sweared by the combination of SeaGrow and Seaweed & Magnum Grow.

SEA GROW SEAWEED PLANT FOOD 16 – 16 – 16  1 tsp. - 1 tbsp. per gallon of water soluble Sea Grow contains a blend of amino acids, botanical seaweed extract, blood meal, carbohydrates, organic carbon, and has a Nitrogen-Phosphate-Potassium ratio (N-P-K) of 16-16-16. It also has yucca extract and micronutrients. One pound =about 32 tablespoons. One 25 pound bag will feed about 25 roses.

Bio-Cozyme Organic Stimulant. Application: 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp/gallon Compatible with all fertilizers, Accelerates NPK Biosynthesis, promotes earlier Flowering, Shorter growing period, Increased bud formation, Increased resistance to plant diseases, Improved appearance and aroma. Aids in achieving full genetic potential. 

HUMIC ACID 12% Organic (LIQUID). Application - 1 tsp/gallon every several weeks, for really bad soil - 1 Tbsp/gallon.   Humic acid retains nutrients and benefits plant growth. This is particularly good for potted roses because of the nutrient holding qualities of humus. 

HUMIC ACID 12% Organic (Granular). Application - 1 cup per bush, spread around the drip line in the spring.

EDDHA IRON CHELATE 6% Powder-1 lb Application -1 tsp/gal    

Fully chelated DTPA iron chelate helps prevent iron chlorosis by maintaining and protecting iron availability in slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soils with a pH of up to 7.5. It prevents iron from binding with other compounds in the soil, allowing it to stay in a form readily available for plant use.