Never tried it, but it's not balanced. No potassium means finding a potassium source. Something like Langbenite 0-0-22 reduced by 1/5, added in, should give the same proportionate wallop as the rest of the nutrients in Neptune's Harvest when mixed in. Neptune's Harvest which is made up of crushed or pulverized crab/lobster shells, although organic, being a minimally processed animal product, I wonder what it does to build up the microorganism community in the soil like some other organic fertilizers claim to do? Also, by the time the pieces of shell decompose and release their nutrients, I think the roses will be grossly underfed while waiting.

All kinds of questions arise. How quickly does it start feeding? How long does it feed? How much to apply to your roses, not your lawn? How often? What can be done about its fishy smell (reported in Amazon comments), which attracts vermin and raccoons?

At $26.78, for 4#, on Amazon, it seems pricy! That's $6.70/lb., for waste crab and lobster shells!

Moses.

Thanks for the info, Moses. I was just wondering if it was any good for my roses. I purchased a small at a local nursery - not Amazon - way too $$$.

Bellarose,

Your purchase shows that you have an inquiring mind. This valuable trait is so needed, not only in finding the best fertilizer/care program, but in all aspects of rosedom. A successful rose garden does not come by easily, much mental, physical, and spiritual effort has to be expended.

Moses.

Moses and Bellarosa, what do you think of other fish-based fertilizers?

@apple_pie_order

(And…… do you make an excellent apple pie?) YUM! )

@bellarosa

@Moses, Pitt PA, cold W & hot-humid S, z6

Good Morning,

Rosie Friends,

Interesting that at $20 for only 4 lbs, very pricey, it has no potassium. You’d have to add potassium for roses.

NEPTUNE PRODUCTS

Many Neptune fertilizers are on the market, but I find all of them are pricey.

The granular fertilier Bellarose shows above is

made from shells mainly, high in calcium, but boasts improving soil/fertilizing plants in many ways ; although it has no potassium.

There also is Neptune Rose & Flower liquid fish fertilizer, but pricey too, more balanced NPK 2-6-4 Nitrogen, Phosphorous Potassium.

Espoma Plant Tone or Rose Tone is the best-balanced-I have used often & on Amazon, free ship/less pricey. 4 lbs- $16.01, but cost double since pandemic. 50lbs for $54.00-best value!!! . Look at ingredients-organic & wonderful! (Plant Tone-NPK 5-3-3 & cost less-I mostly use in past.)

GOING HOME-MADE:

HOWEVER, This year I am making my own organic fertilizers, mainly:

Chewy sells Alfalfa pellets for $25.00, 40 lbs. I use them and add cow manure and home-made kitchen compost this season-most economical!!!!!!!! FABULOUS ORGANIC-great for soil-wonderful for roses!!!!!! . I add banana peels, rice, wheat noodles, egg shells, green vegetables & fruits, , coffee grounds, and more. (If you check out Plant Tone ingredients-it has a lot of alfalfa, bone meal, & chicken manure, & potassium, sulfate, potash m.…-similar to my ”Homemade mistures” . (So it’s cheaper to use my combination of alfalfa, manure, kitchen compost.) I eat a lot of bananas now-loving it & give my garden the banana peels!

I also use monthly: a combination of Alaska Fish Fertilizer (high in nitrogen) & MORBLOOM (high in phosphorous & potassium) liquids. Mix the 2 together for balanced NPK. Kiquid fish fertilizers give immediete results-great for pitted roses and in ground roses. I found these 2 fertilizers mixed together are very potent & economical. I have tried other fish fertiluzers, but these give you a more concentrated gallon & work very well!

Bellarosa,

Add banana peels for potassium to your Neptune granular fertilizer you just bought to balance it. It takes 6 weeks to decompose banana peels & 4 weeks to decompose the Neptune granular fertilizer. Just bury a banana peel in the soil next to each rose. 😊

HAVE FUN FERTILIZING YOUR ROSES!

Use Plant Tone or Holly Tone, not Rose Tone. Rose Tone is overpriced for rose growers who think they're getting something special. They're not. Just a special high price. They are all about the same, and roses take what they want from these fertilizers. Diane

All of the Tones have the same ingredients, just in slightly different amounts for the target plant (like more or less acidic). Diane is right about using whatever one is cheapest. I use Citrus Tone because it has a slightly higher NPK than others for the same price, and it's very available here locally in a big area for back yard citrus and avocados. Also, the ideal fertilizer ratio for roses is considered to be a ratio of 3-1-2 NPK. So all of these fertilizers with massive amounts of P (phosphorus) to supposedly encourage blooming are going to leave your roses seriously wanting for more N (nitrogen) and K (potassium). Nitrogen and potassium are very water soluble, so leach out fast. In my very alkaline area, we already have tons of P (phosphorus) in the soil, so we don't need more. Phosphorus in the soil is insoluble, so stays a long time.

Big fan of citrus tone also, for many of the same reasons as Susan.

But I also use Miracle Gro (normal blend, not rose specific) and fish fertilizer with potassium sulfate mixed in. Usually it’s whatever happens to be cheapest…citrus tone can be found cheap in winter, then Miracle Grow at Costco in spring, then fish fertilizer the rest of the year.

I don’t find I get any better or worse result with one over the other..chemical or organic, liquid or granular, roses like it all the same.

Thanks everyone for the advice!! Much appreciated.