I use a handful of organic fertilizer (alfalfa, cottonseed meal, fish meal, blood meal, bone meal, etc.) mixed into the hole when I plant potted roses in the spring or summer. I do not fertilize bare roots until they are actively growing.

Connie

Organic fertilizers are Ok used on newly planted roses. Do Not Use a fast acting chemical fertilizer until it's actively growing or after the first bloom, and then use it sparingly. Organics are usually low in nitrogen and break down slowly releasing the nutrients gradually.

The amount of fertilizer that is tolerable depends on the area it is spread over and whether there are already nutrients in that area. A labeled dose of fertilizer is intended for 5-10 square feet and would be toxic if applied to one square foot. Some potted roses already have fertilizer such as Osmocote in the rootball, so you have to guard against double-dosing. Also, if you have dug a couple inches of manure into the planting area, you have already fertilized it.

The amount of fertilizer that is useful depends on the leaf area that a plant has or will soon have. A band plant needs maybe 1/10 of the fertilizer needed by an average established plant.

I always fertilize my new plants (lightly) and I have never injured one. I think the general concern about this arises from people ignoring the issues of proportion mentioned above.