By: Ted W. Mills, ARS Consulting Rosarian and Judge
After their winter nap ceases and the rose bushes approach the coming of spring, rosarians need to turn their thoughts toward feeding these beauties. Just as the hibernating bear awakens to realize that she must provide for her cubs, so it follows that the rose grower is mandated to furnish food for his or her floral "babies."
The first thing that needs to be addressed is just exactly what is a good time frame for food provision. Is it weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or just whenever the urge hits us to feed? We all know that bears or any living thing cannot long survive with a happenstance meal schedule. It must be timely and must fit the specific animal or plant need if good health is the object. Not every creature requires the same dietary plan. It behooves the rosarian to know what is best for roses. Slow-release fertilizers can enjoy quarterly application but chemical fertilizers are best applied on a more frequent basis. In my own program I use a bi-weekly plan for the latter type of fertilization but reduce the dosage. I don't want my bushes to go hungry.
As to the timing of rose feeding, it is my feeling that it is better to feed a smaller amount of nutrients often than to force the plant to gorge on a hefty portion once a month. Even if you cut the amount of fertilizer applied, the more frequent feeding will supply better growth for the plant. Ask yourself this question: "will I be better off eating a big meal once a month or would more frequent and smaller meals supply my bodily needs better?" It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Sadly, far too many rose growers neglect the feeding operation. They simply spread a granular-type fertilizer at the beginning of the season and leave the plant's growth to chance. A well balanced feeding program, using organics and chemical fertilizers, is far more rewarding and will produce superior results if conducted on a timely basis.
Now that we have presented our recommendation on timely feeding, it would be well to mention a few of the morsels that make up the perfect meal for roses. Let's divide them into two categories - organic and inorganic. To those who favor inorganic (chemicals) I hasten to say they have a solid argument but not a conclusive one. I would be the first to say that this nation's (the world's best fed) people could not possibly fill their food cabinets were it not for chemical help. There's just not enough compost to spread over the wheat fields of Kansas or the cornfields of Illinois. Be that as it may, my favorite method of feeding roses deals with the use of organics. After all, it is Mother Nature's way of supplying the food chain for forests and plains. Leaves fall to the ground and meadows give way to grass-withering. The resultant decomposition thereof produces food that timberlands and meadows love. So wouldn't it make sense to utilize the same methods to produce ultimate growth in roses? The good farmer knows the value of providing cover crops for tilling purposes. He knows that rotting vegetation returns vital nutrients to the soil that ensures continued fertility.
When we speak of composting vegetation just what is it that we as rosarians are seeking in such an operation? To know the answer to this introduces us to a fuller knowledge of what makes plants grow their best. Everyone knows that nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash are the basic items in the food chain. Composted vegetation furnishes them all. You might say that compost is the "black gold" in feeding materials and every rosarian should introduce this practice into his rose growing hobby. Convert those shredded leaves and grasses into this black "stuff" and your roses will sound a chorus of joy. Add table scraps (not meat) to the recipe and the mixture will be enhanced. Visit your friendly farmer and ask for horse or cow manure and the roses will really leap for joy.
I could go on and on about the virtues of organic feeding for it is my belief the real champions in rose growing strongly favor its benefits. You may complain that the materials are too difficult to obtain and much time is required to mix various organics that can be purchased separately at garden centers. That problem has been reduced to convenience indeed. The market now offers ready-mixed natural products that provide the most important components in the food chain. There are several products but none superior to a product called Mills Magic Rose Mix. This mixture provides six components that include alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, blood meal, bone meal, sanitized sewage sludge, and the all-important fish meal. From the use of this product, it is understandable why rosarians are producing award-winning blooms nationwide. Repeat usage - year after year - by champion growers is proof positive that organic feeding really works.
It is true that organic feeding places an edge on the competition, but when coupled with inorganic (chemical) fertilizer the merger for good dining on the part of the rose bush is complete. For this step in optimum feeding another member of the Mills Magic family, EasyFeed, is introduced to the bill of fare. It is also a six component product, which utilizes liquid concentrated fertilizer, fish soluble, liquefied seaweed, Epsom Salts, chelated iron, and urea. Now that's a strong and effective foodstuff for roses. The use of Mills Magic Mix and Mills EasyFeed provides a complete meal for hungry roses. The show table is usually their destination. Of course there are other fertilizing products on the market but I have just recommended the pride of the rosarian market.
When we speak of fertilizing roses we must hasten to say that we are really feeding the soil, for it is soil that sustains plant growth. In other words, feed the soil and the soil will feed your roses. Millions of living microorganisms devour the organics and their resultant excretion is served to the root system in a form that nourishes the plant. It's the Creator's plan for plant survival.
Yes, the mother bear knows that to have healthy cubs she must work to feed her offspring. And so it is with the rosarian. A well-balanced food plan is essential if rose growing perfection is to be approached. These floral specimens simply cannot feed themselves. They need help and the good rosarian jumps at the chance to provide adequate feeding. It is this simple - once a rose bush is planted - the feeding responsibility rests squarely on the back of the grower. To provide the meals on a timely basis, with nutrition added, is the best way to ensure success. Your trophy shelf just might bulge with blue ribbons.