I may mix osmocote/slow release or bone meal in the planting hole but not a granular fertilizer. Baby roses only get diluted liquid fertilizer. I think something more organic, like Dr Earth or Rose/Holly Tone would be okay in small amounts.

I generally dont fertilize new plantings, except maybe Osmocote, after I plant or transplant until I am seeing new growth, usually a month or so for roses. We get raccoon and possums digging up anything that smells like fish here lol. They are a pain.

On mature established roses, I think granular fertilizers are fine on top of the surface. I make sure plants are watered well at least a half hr before applying granulars because I have burned plants badly using it on dry roses.

I really cant use granulars here though because if it doesnt melt down right away, our free ranging stupid chickens will come eat it!

I often use Lilly Miller Organic Granular Fertilizer for acid loving plants on new plantings as a last step on the surface around the plant. That's for plants in the ground, not in pots. All my roses get LM in early March, once a year, but those aren't new plantings. I use Plant Tone on roses in February, once a year. When I plant a rose, annual, or perennial in the ground, again not pots, I use a top quality compost, NuLife organic compost, combined with the planting soil. All my established roses get this compost liberally applied around the plants in November. I don't have a problem with digging animals, though the Plant Tone and Lilly Miller stink like all get out. I've never burned plants with these routine applications. Potted plants are a whole different thing. Even the free ranging stupid quail all over the place don't bother the fertilizer. Thanks for the laugh, Sultry. This stuff incorporates well when we irrigate. Diane

I also would only use organic fertilizer on new plantings Bart.

I never burned any plant with Osmocote either. I know watering is very difficult for you, Bart. I hope you get good rains this winter.

In matters such as this, it’s best to follow the discharge instructions. Or call the office first thing in the morning. Crowdsourcing? - no.

Sorry rifis but people on here know more than customer service help.

Oops. I should have looked at more than just the title. Never mind.

Most scientific horticultural advice is no fertilisers and no amendments in planting holes for new transplants. A topdressing or mulch on top of the soil for sure but nothing else...although, if in agricultural land, newly developed or newly filled raised beds which may lack mycorrhizal fungi, I would be inclined to add arbuscular mycorrhizal granules to the rootball (as the granules need direct access to root systems).

However, I am not a prescriptive gardener. This is what I do and have done for some time but it's not a hill I would die to defend if other gardeners feel they prefer to do otherwise

Thank you all so much for you replies, and Sheila for her good wishes.. Unfortuneately,here, in granular form all I've seen is stuff containing animal by-products ,which, as I wrote before , are off the table for my garden. I do use alfalfa hay,cracked corn, manure and mycorriza, but the idea of something that is fast-acting is attractive because here in Tuscany THIS is "the growing season" (summer is the "dying season"). We are, thank HEAVEN, getting rain. The temperatures are moderate,too, so I want to take full advantage of this time of year.

However, I DO see Osmocote on Amazon; I'll have to check the ingredients of that. There are 3 kinds that seem tempting: universal, one for acid-loving plants, and one specific for roses. Which would you choose?

I did not know there were 3 kinds, Bart. Maybe choose the most inexpensive?

I have used Osmocote Plus. I know with the Tones fertilizer, they charge more for the rose version, even though it seemed to be pretty much the same as other versions.

Oh, yeah, "they" DO charge more for the more desirable formulations, even though they don't COST more to produce. I learned that lesson researching Ortho's Bug B Gone and Flea B Gone. They were precisely the same products, except for the specific packaging for one being 'all purpose' and one for FLEAS but the flea one was the more popular and people trying to rid their homes of fleas apparently much more willing to pay more for the same product. Probably likely similar situation for those who want rose flowers over tomatoes or pothos.

Roses will make use of anything you give them. Most formulations are high nitrogen because that's the nutrient which is going to more easily flush through the soil with water. Higher phosphorous should give you a bit higher quantity of blooms, all others variables being equal, but in your situation, it probably wouldn't be worth spending a whole lot more to obtain that. You probably wouldn't want an acid type as it's often high nitrogen that helps create that. Sheila's advice to shop by price is probably good. I doubt you're going to see tremendous difference in performance between "all purpose", "flower and vegetable" and "rose and flower" types. Thankfully, as long as it's kept dry, the stuff lasts forever in the shed or garage. Enjoy your rain! I'm envious!

Bart, get the Osmocote Plus in the pink bag if you can from Amazon... it also has some micronutrients in it, as opposed to just NPK. And exactly what Roseseek said about charging more for basically (or exactly) the same thing. All of the Tones have exactly the same ingredients, but with a very slightly different percent to give a slightly different NPK. Personally, I buy Citrus Tone for my roses b/c I prefer a bit more bang for my buck. (Rose Tone = 4-3-2; Citrus Tone = 5-2-6. Less phosphorus and more potassium is better for my alkaline soil which has plenty of phosphorus).

Thanks all; I'll go for the Osmocote universal. My soil is kind of alkaline, so the acidophile one is tempting, but it's a lot more expensive.

I hope you'll get some good rain soon, roseseek.

Thank you @User!