That sounds like a pretty good mix of things to get them off to a good start, Judith. Mills is a very good fertilizer and alfalfa is great organics. I'm never sure about the Epsom salts. I have used it but does it really do anything? I don't know, lol!

I try to get Rosetone or Holllytone if I can find it on sale but if not I just use whichever good balanced fertilizer I can find at a reasonable price. Like I said, I do use the Epsom salts sometimes too. It's supposed to promote more basal breaks. Eh, who knows?

I have used RoseTone too. I kind of think the Epsom salts really do work to make new basal breaks on certain roses. Havent written anything down or really paid much attention, but seems like when I have used it.......some roses start sending up little basal breaks - so why not! I have a lot of roses scattered on fencelines, in beds, etc. and I have a lot of young ones growing well in larger pots that I want to plant out. I have seen so many beautiful photos of these large, gorgeous, healthy roses [and Seil, YOU are the first one I think of, so glad you answered this!] and I really want to beef my roses up. So if I need to do any liquid feeding - fish emulsion, etc. - to help this early in the season, I would love to know. I remember reading somewhere that "roses are hogs - feed 'em!" I really enjoy fertilizing my roses, don't consider it a chore, and am always interested in what works for others.

First off, thank you for the kind words.

I start in the spring with dry fertilizer that I work into the soil. After that I do use liquid sprays. I use Miracle Grow because it's getting to be about the only one available around here now days. It's OK but I miss having a choice and the damn stuff is expensive so I have to wait for sales. I also use Spray n Gro's Bill's Perfect Fertilizer which is a fish emulsion. The Spray n Gro stuff is on line and it's pricey too but I've found it does work very well. I try to fertilize once a month here but sometimes it goes out to six weeks depending on what's happening at home. I have a shorter season than you but I still fertilize into the fall. I don't like my roses to go into winter hungry!

I am so glad to hear someone else uses Bill's Perfect Fertilizer and Spray N Grow! I have used it for years, but I must admit I have not been good about fertilizing on a regular basis. Got so much going on - I raise horses, have a lot of chickens that I enjoy plus gardening, grandchildren, etc. etc. and I have really good intentions but I get behind]. THIS year, I am going to really get organized and plan to do my fertilizing in a timely manner. Seil, there is a place in Houston called Southwest Fertilizer - they have everything under the sun for gardening - its the Neiman-Marcus of gardening stores! They have a website and you can do mail order. For Houston Rose Society members, they [and other nurseries] offer 15% off for a week in February and I make my annual trip there to get my Mills Magic Rose Mix and can browse for hours looking at the hundreds of types of fertilizers they have. Always come back with some new ones to try. But they wont work if you don't use them! I am not sure if once a month, just try out a new one and see what happens or if there is some tried and true recipe that each grower swears by and sticks to. I am sort of like the cook who loves to read recipe books but never actually tries the recipes. Am planning for this year to be different.....

I haven't any advice for you Judith. Just wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed your posts thru the years. Wish you a nice rosy year.

PS: I just got a Brother P-Touch label machine yesterday. This is the greatest! Does anyone use this? I have had so much fun making labels. I have a friend who has one and says that these labels don't ever come off nor fade. Got mine on sale at Office Depot for $30.

I do and I love it, Mine is a plug in type the pt 2030. I really like the green outdoor garden tape. They seem to have discontinued it thou. Keeping the markers lower in the ground these days so I don't trip on them.

I had thought of getting some small pieces of flagstone or something flat to use them on. To mark larger shrubs and roses. To keep the yard from looking like a graveyard in winter. I tried so many other ways to label the plants. This has worked the best. The baby raccoons don't use them for toys.

Do either of you use the Coco-wet with your fertilizer. Sometimes I think they could talk me into buying anything weather I would need it or not

I do use the Coco-wet. The principle behind it makes sense to me. When I mix up the Spray N Grow, its just as easy to add that to it as well. As I mentioned - I have so much going on that I am remiss in keeping up with a regular schedule, but once when I actually did do that, and used the SNG on a bougainvillea - it was truly amazing! The plant was covered in hot pink blooms. Now....hopefully this spring I can keep up with a fertilizing schedule that will work the same magic [like I see in so many of the photos on this site!]

Hey Patty here's the tape I've been using for my labels, don't know if it will fit your machine though.

What is coco wet?

Waterproof labels

Julie, I read about the coco wet when I looked up the fertilizer that Seil and Judith are using. It's used as an emulsifier. Bill's Perfect Fertilizer® - Spray-N-Grow Thanks for the link that is the tape I use also just in a different size.

Forgot to add the coco wet is also a spreader sticker.