Roses that are struggling should be fertilized less, not more. Plants can use fertilizer only in proportion to their current leaf area. Fertilizer dosage should always be adjusted to the size of the plant.

3-4 cups of Rose Tone OR 4-5 gallons of MGro solution per season should be ample for a 5' x 3' rose. I wouldn't double dose with multiple fertilizers. They deliver mostly the same nutrients. If you use both, cut each in half.

So Michael, if you don't increase the amount of nutrients (natural, chemical or whatever) how do you "encourage", for instance, a one cane wonder to grow (other then repeating to it -Grow, darn it, GROW!);-)......Just something I've picked up along the way from exhibitors and a good retail nurseryman, a low dose of soluable fertilizer every week (high in nitrogen as in MG's Miracid product)can be better then a big punchbowl full once a month. Like feeding a sick man a little at a time until he's able to handle a full meal. Sounded reasonable to me.

Sure, that's reasonable. But I encourage a one-cane wonder by cutting his sorry *** to the ground and saying "grow right now or die." No invalidism allowed in my garden, since there are plenty of roses that want to grow there.

Alfalfa, that's how I encourage 'em. And usually, the Rose-tone is enough to do the trick, but some need an extra booster (and I don't make the "tea" I don't have time or patience). Or a shovel...

LOL. I can feel the roses quaking in thier roots.

So what is the advantage of using Rosetone over a liquid fertilizer? What makes Rosetone organic, and say, Osmocote, not organic?

It is preferable to fertilize once in larger volume than say, three times of one cup each?

Do the alfalfa pellets attract more rabbits even if you scratch them in?

I have a few roses that could really use a basal break, Tamora in containers and Reine des Violettes.

Rose Tone contains alfalfa and some nutrients that are not in Miracle Gro. RT contains both slow and fast nitrogen for continuous release. MG's nitrogen is released almost immediately and will start dropping off after two weeks. This is not to say MG doesn't work well, it does work well.

If you apply 3 cups of RT at once, you might get enough fast nitrogen to injure the plant; certainly 2/3 of it would go to waste. But then the slow nitrogen would continue to feed for a year.

Osmocote is not organic because the molecules were synthesized in a factory, but that doesn't make any difference to the rose.

Sounds like something I would do there Michaelg. lol

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Posted by michaelg z6B NC Mts (My Page) on Thu, May 27, 10 at 16:15

Sure, that's reasonable. But I encourage a one-cane wonder by cutting his sorry *** to the ground and saying "grow right now or die." No invalidism allowed in my garden, since there are plenty of roses that want to grow there.

Wow Michael you're tough.... Get out the whip! lol

I just used the liquid Miracle Gro for Tomatoes. They were out of the one for roses, I just hope it will be ok. I also have the one by MG for more blooms, I use this on seedlings to get them to bloom, half strength though. In about another two weeks I will go buy a big bag of Miracle Gro Garden Soil and dump it in a big container, throw in about 4-5 cups of Rosetone, 2 cups of Epsom Salts and a few cups of 10-10-10 chicken manure that I get at my local nursery....I mix it up with the soil and then put 3 cups around the base of each rose, works pretty good. Once every two months, last time is August, I do this and in between I use the MG liquid.

I've talked about this before over the years on this forum, but here goes again. All these extra ingredients in fertilizers, all these "natural" soil additives are only good if your soil is deficient and your roses need them. I saw no difference in my roses after years of use of Alfalfa, or the other widely touted booster, Epsom Salts. Soil analysis by my Ag service over the years of my heavy clay soil revealed I only need nitrogen. I suspect that the people who claim wonderous results from some of these extra additives have sandier soil then I. If you are spending the extra effort and have the extra expense of some of these products and don't really see much, if any, difference don't be afraid to go against the instinct to fiddle around with success. Just walk away.

What type of soil do you have Redsox?

I have alkaline clay (amended).

You have to create a fertilizer program that fits the needs of your roses in your garden. There is no set in stone amount of fertilizer that needs to be used by everyone. We all have different soil types, different roses, etc. Some soils may need fertilized more than others. Roses/ plants can only take up so much fertilizer and the rest is wasted.Sometimes, less is more.
Hopefully, your ph level is not binding up nutrients getting to your roses.
Your roses doing ok?