bart bart -- I'm not the rose expert here, but my thinking is in line with yours, and I just bought my magic mix of fertilizers to do the big "spring" fertilizing this weekend.

Thank you so much, Kim. Now, to make sure I understand: "If the plants are newly rooted cuttings or bare roots which have just broken into growth, half strength is safer as it shouldn't be AS likely to burn young roots. Weakly, weekly would mean cutting the "dose" in half and put it in the ten liters of water, then apply that solution every week. Your plants are well watered prior to the application, which should be standard practice. I use an old fast food drink cup of about 24 oz (710 ml) and apply however much the plant seems capable of utilizing. If it's a large budded plant, perhaps two or three of those cups poured over the foliage and canes (liquid fertilizers to absorb into the plant through the growth and any excess drains into the root zone)." Okay, so here what you are saying (I think) is that the half-dose fert is better in any case for new bare-root roses. Now, just how much do you give of the solution to each plant? I seem to understand that you pour about 1 liter of the solution on each plant-is that correct?

How about plants that are in their 2nd, 3rd or 4th season? Should they get the full ten liters of fert solution?

I'm relieved to see that I was right in sprinkling granular fert around, too. I put this sort of "around" the roses, NOT concentrated just at the presumable root area ,but outside the drip-line, and kind of around the entire bed, since I want to encourage their roots to spread out.

You're welcome, Bart. Young plants are like infants, kittens, puppies, etc., they are small and rather tender. it doesn't take much to over dose them and since you're applying "salts", which is the form of the nutrients their tissues can absorb, you want to make sure you're not applying too strong of a solution. So, the half strength is like the "baby dose" of a medication or even baby food. It really doesn't matter how weak the solution is, as it's going to be higher in the nutrients than the water and soil surrounding the roots so they will take it up through osmosis. Nature demands balance. If the nitrogen level is higher outside the root than inside, water is drawn out of the root and replaced with nitrogen, so you want to insure there is enough water IN the plant and that the nitrogen (and other salts) level isn't so high it can damage or kill the plant. Making the full 10 L of solution allows you to spread it around further in the 'baby food' concentration.

I think the only way I'd apply the full 10L to one plant is if it's something really large, like a full grown climber or a huge shrub. Otherwise a couple of cups full per established plant should suffice as you have applied fertilizer pellets and you try to use organics so you're really just giving it a boost, like a shot of caffeine or something. If the plant is large enough, like a five gallon sized bush, a liter may be just fine. It's a half strength solution so it's going to give some nutrients, not a full feeding. You're probably only going to use it on new or infant plants as the established plants can easily tolerate the regular application dose.

I'll usually use about 12 oz (.35 ml) on a gallon can; about twice that on a two gallon; perhaps a liter on a five; maybe two liters on a larger plant in the ground. That's about what I would apply of the regular concentration on established plants, too, but it's up to what it seems to you works well in your conditions. It really isn't "scientific", just neurotic. I don't want to burn tender plants with a too strong solution, so I cut it in half and apply it twice as often. As long as they are sufficiently watered and the drainage is sufficient, how much you feed the plant depends upon how "thrifty" you are. I don't want to waste the food and I'd like to make it go as far as possible while still providing the benefits desired from it, so if it seems the plant needs more of a boost, I'll likely dump a bit more on it. If the plant is pushing, I may not give it AS much (or perhaps I will, depending upon what it feels like to me at the time). At half strength, you aren't likely to do any damage so how much will likely depend upon how far you want it to spread. If they don't appear to be responding as well as you wished, apply more. If they are established plants, use the normal application rate.

Once again, many thanks, Kim. One BIG reason for me to be "thrifty" is because of my water issues; I want to save as much as possible of my harvested water for when Nature doesn't provide any. Plus, the water I am now using is in barrels on the road (no hose); I want to use this up first, since otherwise it'll be wasted . The water in my tanks won't evaporate much because they have lids,but it's less labour to use that, since they have hoses. So it'll save my back if I can get away with less water. For how many seasons should I consider a rose to be a baby?

Let me just throw this out there :-)) The "weekly, weakly" mantra has always been intended for container grown plants, not those grown planted in the ground. And the reasons for that are because container potting soil itself carries almost no nutrient load and what it may have is leached out with the need for frequent (read "daily" in many cases) watering. Inground planting does not require the same degree of watering frequency nor do many soil nutrients (of which there are plenty) leach away with inground irrigation. Certainly not to the same extent that they would in a container!

FWIW, I have never used a liquid fertilizer on my roses (except alfalfa tea) and general only fertilize with a granular fertilizer once or twice a season. The idea that roses somehow require constant fertilization is just not a reality.

@bart bart I completely understand. Our water is much easier to use but we also have the "conservation" issue, both in future availability as well as cost. I don't know how you do it with having to physically haul it where it's needed. You're a more dedicated gardener than I! It isn't that roses NEED a constant feeding. It's that if you're dealing with immature plants, providing them with steady food and water results in their maturing and developing faster. Once the plant is growing vigorously, it's not an "infant" any longer. If it's small (for the variety or type) and not pushing vigorous growth, I treat it as immature. Some develop into a vigorous grower in a few weeks, others take a season. Really weak growers may take even longer. Some, like Sterling Silver and Grey Pearl, I'll continue treating like they're immature to push them into more growth. Neither is considered "vigorous" and the extra "high culture" produces an almost acceptable level of growth and performance.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) you never HAVE to use a liquid fertilizer. Sometimes it's easier. Sometimes it's faster acting. You're correct about pots requiring more frequent watering and feeding, unless you're growing in sand, then it's very similar. If you are soil building, applying organic mulches or fertilizers, you ARE providing fairly constant feeding. If you're applying granular fertilizers with regularity, you pretty much are, also. Whether you feed and how frequently depends upon your expectations from the plants. I know many who fertilize religiously monthly. I did in my clients' gardens for years. They want immediate gratification and they want it continuously. Mine don't receive that treatment. Individual plants may, if they are something I really want and I see they require it, but generally, nope. If you have something you really want to mature quickly and really 'crop', treat it like this. But, you don't HAVE to in order to grow roses or most other plants.

O, Gardengal, I do indeed see what you're saying. I don't know what your climate is like,or your soil; it sounds to me like it's a heck of a lot better than what mine has become.

However, I do think that I've been doing something wrong in recent years, even though I have become better about watering. See Melissa's thread "Curses; it's spring" if you want to get an idea of what's going on here with the weather. Any more, here, one does not know what to do -not even what to wear as clothing, for example. I do know that my soil is extremely poor in many (most ) areas. I want to take advantage as much as I can of the cooler, not-so-dry weather to give these juvenile plants a boost ; once the really hot weather hits, I don't intend to go on fertilizing.

BTW, I only apply granular fert once per season.

I have to use liquid fertilizer, I cant use granular fertilizer unless it melts down right away. Stupid chickens eat it 😂. They also love stryrofoam..not smart..so of course, they will eat up perlite too thinking its styrofoam.

@sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish) your chickens are related to my stupid dogs. They eat EVERYTHING. The youngest LOVES rocks and the redwood chips the cymbidiums are planted in.

Bart - I believe we may have the same growing conditions. I have hot dry long summers here in SoCal. Last year was the first year I really followed the rose care month to month and was amazed to have lovely blooming roses during my hot dry summer.

I follow the local rose society monthly care with great results, I've also tweaked the feeding schedule a bit, this might be helpful for you - http://www.pacificrosesociety.org/MonthlyRoseCare.html