What type of fertilizer should be chosen for top-dressing after the rose bush blooms?

One: What Fertilizer to Choose for Post-blooming Rose Fertilization

First, we need to understand why roses need post-blooming fertilization and what significance it holds. In the book "How to Grow roses from Scratch," several formal fertilization operations are mentioned, and spring post-blooming fertilization is the first formal fertilization.

Blooming roses consume a lot of energy, and we are in a fertilizer pause state during the flowering period. Therefore, after the flowers are finished, the rose plant is actually in a relatively weak state. To make a simple analogy, it's like a woman who is pregnant and gives birth. Although she eats well during pregnancy, she still needs to have a postpartum recovery period. Similarly, after a large number of roses bloom, they are also in this state.

So, timely fertilization after blooming can help roses quickly recover their strength and enter a new round of growth. Only by maintaining vigorous growth can they resist the invasion of diseases and pests. Therefore, after blooming, not only should fertilization be done promptly, but pesticides should also be applied to help roses resist the invasion of diseases and pests.

For fertilizer selection, long-acting fertilizers should be the main choice, supplemented by fast-acting fertilizers. This round of fertilization is not only to replenish the consumption of previous flowering but also to prepare nutrients for the summer.

With the weather getting hotter and the watering frequency increasing, fast-acting fertilizers can easily be washed away during watering. Long-acting controlled-release fertilizers and fermented organic fertilizers can maintain their fertility for a longer time, making them the best choice for post-blooming rose fertilization.

If you can stick to regular fertilization, using fast-acting liquid fertilizers is also acceptable. The key is consistency. Personally, I don't use water-soluble fertilizers in the summer because I already feel tired just from watering.

Two: How to Measure the Amount of Post-blooming Rose Fertilization

Once the type of fertilizer is determined, the next issue is the amount. How much should be used? There is actually no fixed amount. The amount of fertilizer should be considered comprehensively based on the seedling condition, the size of the pot, the growth state, and the frequency of fertilization.

Taking healthy seedlings as an example, if you are usually busy and seldom apply water-soluble fertilizers, the suggestion is to use a bit more for post-blooming fertilization.

For example, for灌木 roses planted in the ground, you can use 1.5 kg to 2 kg of fermented organic fertilizer plus 30 g of controlled-release fertilizer, mixed evenly and shallowly buried or scattered 15-20 cm away from the roots.

This amount can sustain the rose without additional fertilization for the next 3-5 months (from now until autumn) and grow well.

If it is a potted plant, this amount won't work because the pot is not that large, and too much organic fertilizer cannot fit. What should you do then?

You can adjust the amount appropriately. For example, for a 2-gallon pot, you can use 100 g of fermented organic fertilizer (about one cup of a disposable cup) plus 15-20 g of controlled-release fertilizer. If it is a 5-7-gallon pot, you can use 200 g of organic fertilizer plus 30-40 g of controlled-release fertilizer. This amount can also maintain the plant without additional fertilization for 3 months.

For climbing roses, if they are young seedlings, you can refer to the amount for灌木 roses. If they are large, for ground-planted ones, it is recommended to apply 2.5 kg to 5 kg of fermented organic fertilizer plus 30 g of compound fertilizer and preferably 50 g of controlled-release fertilizer.

You may think this amount is too much, but for large climbing roses, it is not excessive. Because after blooming, it is the time for the climbing roses to grow suckers, and the number and strength of suckers directly affect the flowering amount next year.

The above-mentioned amounts are for originally healthy rose seedlings. If the seedlings are unhealthy and in a bare state, it is recommended to apply fertilizers in small amounts multiple times, achieving thin and frequent fertilization.

Some flower friends may ask if they can use controlled-release fertilizers directly without organic fertilizers. I personally prefer to use organic fertilizers, as they not only provide comprehensive nutrients but also improve the soil structure. Especially for ground planting, long-term use of chemical fertilizers can easily cause soil compaction. If organic fertilizers are used sparingly, using microbial fertilizers with controlled-release fertilizers can also reduce the damage to the soil from chemical fertilizer residues.

Have you understood the detailed introduction to post-blooming rose fertilization, what fertilizers to choose, and how to measure the amount of post-blooming rose fertilization shared above?