Roses, a staple in most British gardens, charm with their lightly scented and radiant flowers, available in an array of colours and known for gracing our gardens for many years. They typically enjoy a flowering season from late spring to summer, with numerous types offering the joy of repeat blooms until autumn.
However, these beauties demand dedication; everything from pruning and deadheading to fertilising and trimming is essential to maintaining rose health. In light of this, rose expert Liam Beddall from David Austin Roses, has given his top tips on inspiring roses to put forth “strong, healthy growth” and burst into a dance of blossoms.
According to Mr Beddall, feeding your florals is a swift yet impactful task that boosts flower production significantly. He points out that regular feeding stands as “one of the most beneficial jobs you can do to ensure that your roses are at their most healthy and floriferous when summer arrives”.
Continuing his thread of advice, Mr Beddall said: “Feed roses in late March or early April, just as new leaves begin to emerge, and follow with mulching.”
The green-fingered guru also endorses administering a one-off treatment of high-grade, controlled-release rose feed to supply plants with balanced nutrients throughout the growing phase.
Nevertheless, for those garden enthusiasts seeking to lavish their roses with an “extra boost” post-flowering, they should consider using tomato food, reports the Express.
Mr Beddall said: “For an extra boost during peak flowering periods, potassium-rich tomato feed can encourage strong blooms. Roses are heavy feeders, meaning they require a lot of nutrients to grow strong and produce abundant blooms.”
Fertilising roses provides them with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen is pivotal for the rose’s overall vigour, promoting robust green growth, whereas phosphorus aids in root development and blooming.
Lastly, potassium, also available from banana water, is key to helping the plant resist diseases.
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