Depends on how I feel. Fish fertilizer, granular fertilizer (slow release), Epsom salts (ya, I know It's voodoo at best), alfalfa and cottonseed mix, all covered up with earthworm castings.

oh...lime too, on occasion.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I joined a rose society and was able to find more information. This site really helps for anyone else that wants to know: https://scvrs.homestead.com/RoseCareInfo.html

Hi tiffystation,

Honestly, that looks like too much fertilizer to me. Unless the maxsea product (I'm not familiar with it) is a liquid, in which case you may be okay. In Washington the rose society recommends a feeding of balanced granular fertilizer in April (we prune around March 1), another in June and one in August. You can supplement with rotted manure or compost any time and a feeding of alfalfa between April and June. That seems to be more than plenty.

I think some people over-fertize. When I go to the rose shows I often see roses on the benches that remind me of the grossly over-developed men you might see at a Mr. Universe contest. There is such a thing as foliage and stems that are too large and losing their proportion and gracefulness.

Thanks for your input Jim! I read some pages recommend 4-6 weeks so I could lean closer to the longer end. Maybe my rose society recommends monthly since we love in a foggy, low sunlight city?

If your rose society recommends it then it's probably not far off the mark. If it seems a bit overwhelming at any point I think it's always okay to simplify things. Sticking with a balanced fertilizer (nothing wrong with 5/10/10 or 20/20/20) applied with some regularity is going to produce good results.

I agree that seems like a lot of fertilizer (and work for you!)

I embrace “feed the soil” vs worrying about precise NPK numbers. I’ll throw around a couple cups of whatever organic granulated fertilizer around each mature rose— aiming more for the drip line, not right against the base— then top dress with compost. I alternate brands/formulas because I feel the variety of ingredients is beneficial (offers varying amounts of bone meal/feather meal/bat guano etc) I add a handful of alfalfa, substitute mushroom compost for regular compost, or add worm castings.

I’m also in PNW & my routine is similar to JimF above...prune (as early as) presidents day, first fertilizer tax day (April 15) & fertilize again after main first flush. Some years I mange to get a last fertilizer end July/early August.

For quite a few years I used to sprinkle timed release osmocote fertilizer around roses with first feed. I feel like I have less midge damage without it. (As oldrosarian mentioned above I think that higher nitrogen fertilizer pushed out quick soft tender growth because that’s always where I’d first see aphids & midge.)

I know you’re asking about fertilizing but honestly over the last 20(?) years obsessed with roses I believe breaking up clay/building soil with compost and finally adding drip irrigation to make sure my roses were well watered during our dry summers has achieved more than any special fertilizer ingredient/formula/regimen.

High Nitrogen is no good. Home depot sells bags of 10-10-10 for cheap. One handful per plant 2x per year is all mine get in addition to the wood chips that are slowly decomposing as mulch on top. Consistant water is at least as important as feeding.

Thank you all for your replies. I really appreciate it! This really helps.

I've decided on mulching with compost 4x a year and fertilize 3x a year. This seems more balanced.

I have done every cottonseed/alfalfa/bat guano/compost/potash/organic & otherwise regimen imaginable over the past 25 year her in OC CA. I get great results with decomposed cow manure and Epsom salts applied 2x a year and a product called Rose Magnum. Can be used as a foliar spray as well as root zone drench. New growth over night (for me this is true). No chemicals in my yard for over 20 years and I still get some rust & back spot but that is usually plant specific, and I don’t focus on it much anymore. Overall healthy plants are much more important. I currently have 26 bushes.