7 Best Rose Fertilizer Reviews 2022 [Top Picks & Guide]

Finding the best rose fertilizer for your garden can prove to be a tricky task because of the complex biology of a rose, right? We know what you are going through! We also faced a pretty hard time when choosing a decent fertilizer for our rose garden. However, after going through this best rose fertilizer guide, you’ll know everything and the selection will get much clearer to you.

The type of fertilizer you’ll be using would be almost as impactful as the nature of the soil and the atmospheric conditions. So, you must pick the right fertilizer for the right breed of roses.

Now, without further ado, let’s get to our recommendation for the best rose fertilizers.

In a hurry? Here is the overall best fertilizer for roses to thrive and bloom that you can buy right now-

Best Rose Fertilizers- Comparisons

FertilizerNPKPrice
Jobe's Rose Fertilizer Spikes9-12-9
Miracle-Gro Plant Food For Rose and Bloom10-18-9
Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower Care Granules6-9-6
Osmocote Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor15-9-12
Scotts Super Bloom Plant Food12-55-6
Espoma RT4 Rose-Tone Plant Food4-3-2
Dr. Earth 707P Organic 8 Bud & Bloom Fertilizer5-7-2

Best Rose Fertilizers- Reviews

1. Jobe’s Rose Fertilizer Spikes

Jobe's Rose Fertilizer SpikesWe will get started with Jobe’s Rose Fertilizer Spikes, which is one of the latest fertilizer offerings in the market at the moment. Sufficient to apply over seven to eight feet of plant bed, these fertilizers boast an organic formula that promises synthetic-free nutrition to roses and other shrubs.

The presence of Jobe Biozome in the compound makes it the best organic rose fertilizer in many users’ books. What does this Biozome do, actually? It’s a microorganism archaeon that rapidly assimilates the soil content and triggers an immediate improvement in overall soil conditions.

Since these are spikes, you can’t just lay them on the ground. This particular blend of rose nutrients has been formulized to operate underground, so you need to bury them around the root of your rose plants. This ensures zero wastage of fertilizer, as all of it stays beneath the ground surface.

You don’t need to do anything else once you push them into the ground. Just do the bare minimum of watering the plants regularly and the spikes would take care of the rest.

Jobe’s Rose Fertilizer Spikes make for a one-of-a-kind fertilizer option for your roses that is cost-friendly, easy to use, and highly effective. To get the best out of these spikes, try using them early spring when your roses are budding out fresh.

You want to pick Jobe’s fertilizer but not in spikes form. Then you may be happy that they also provide organic flower & rose granular fertilizer.

 

2. Miracle-Gro Plant Food For Rose and Bloom

Miracle-Gro Plant Food For Rose and BloomMiracle-Gro Plant Food for Rose and Bloom can do miracles in keeping your plants healthy and blooming the entire season. If you want to shrug off all concerns regarding your plant’s nutrition, this is the product you could rely on upon without a shred of a doubt.

This is not a formula specifically made to become the best rose food, rather it’s aimed at meeting the nutritional needs of any type of flowering plant. Natural ingredients like kelp, earthworms castings, and bone meals keep the microbes in the soil well fed. Which in turn, results in spectacular blooms all over your garden.

Unlike the Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Rose Plant Food, which mixes up with water to create a powerful liquid rose fertilizer, you don’t need to use this product on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.  Upon applying, you don’t have to worry about feeding your rose plants again within the next three months.

The application process is quite straightforward as well. Disperse the fertilizer over the ground and then mix it up with the soil using a rake. After you do all that, water the compound to complete the procedure.

Miracle-Gro Plant Food Rose and Bloom produces a continuous stream of nutrients for your rose plants. The price might be a little offsetting, but considering its usefulness for a wide range of flowers, it is an investment worth making.

 

3. Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower Care Granules

Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower Care GranulesBayer Advanced Rose and Flower Care Granules is not just a fertilizer, it’s a comprehensive care package for your flowers. It is as effective at saving plants from malnourishment as fighting off insects and various diseases, thanks to its astounding mix of constituents. The versatility this product has to offer effortlessly makes it a contender for the title of best rose fertilizer.

Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus top the list of necessary nutritional elements for roses. You can find all three of these essentials in these granules, working in tandem to keep the shrubs lively and vibrant.

The utility of this product extends to insect and disease control too. If you have powdery mildew or black spot infestation in the garden, you can count on these granules for a remedy. It also eliminates the threat of Japanese beetles, caterpillars, leafhoppers, and other pests.

To get the best results, use the granules when your rose sprouts have just begun growing. Doing so, your plants will grow strong and remain healthy.

You won’t find many fertilizers out there that can match what Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower Care Granules put on the table. You get the service of a fertilizer, a disease controller, and a pest exterminator for the price of one. Moreover, you can use this on other plants in your garden and expect similar outcomes.

 

4. Osmocote Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor

Osmocote Plant Food Plus Outdoor & IndoorIf you are looking for a fertilizer for roses in pots and containers, Osmocote Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor would be our recommendation. To be precise, this is a fertilizer that has been made to acclimate to all conditions. Outdoors or indoors, this Osmocote formula can work its magic anywhere you want.

Osmocote comes in an eight-pound bag, which should serve you for a long time as you won’t need to reapply much often. How much will one application last? Using it only twice a year would suffice, which means you can stay put six months after each application.

Water can easily penetrate the outer coating of these granules and subsume its contents. The water then releases these minerals into the soil and enhances its fertility to a substantial degree. We would go on to say it’s the best fertilizer for roses in summer since the granules are very heat-sensitive and integrate with the soil at a faster rate under abundant sunshine.

Osmocote 274850 Smart-Release Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor is rich in 11 nutriments to ensure your plants are not deprived of the nourishment they require to bloom in absolute glory.

 

5. Scotts Super Bloom Plant Food

Scotts Super Bloom Water Soluble Plant FoodScotts Super Bloom Plant Food is a rose bushes fertilizer for seasoned gardeners. This is a very strong solution, so knowing how to use it is mandatory to make sure your plants don’t get burned. But if you follow the application instructions properly, you are guaranteed to have a garden full of flamboyant blossoms.

The applicability of this product is not only limited to roses, but you can also try this on any perennial and annual flowers. Scotts Super Soluble Plant Food focuses on a plant’s balanced two-way growth. It will not only make the flowers dazzling from the outside, but also solidify their roots underneath the surface and make them more resilient to adverse conditions and diseases.

This a water-soluble compound, so you need to mix it up with water to a certain proportion. Please, consult the instructions on the package to get the perfect mixture. You need to water it twice to make sure no residue is left on the leaves unless your plants could get burnt.

Even though you need to be a bit prudent while using it, Scotts Super Soluble Plant Food is one of the best fertilizers to bloom you can buy for your rose garden.

 

6. Espoma RT4 Rose-Tone Plant Food

Espoma RT4 Rose-Tone Plant FoodWould it be an exaggeration to say Espoma RT4 Rose-Tone Plant Food is the best natural fertilizer for roses? The eco-friendly composition and usability across a variety of flower species incline us to say Espoma RT4 is the ultimate best you could get for your roses in terms of natural fertilizer.

This fertilizer is very flexible to use. Trees, vegetables, flowers-it works on nearly any floral specimen that comes to mind. When used on roses, you can expect this fertilizer to unleash their maximum biological potential. You would get stronger, healthier, and more colorful flowers without having to resort to synthetics.

Espoma RT4 is also the best granular fertilizer for roses as it boosts sprouting by taking advantage of the vegetation-friendly weather conditions. The natural components also help in soil build-up and create a thriving base for the plants to grow on.

What makes this even more attractive is it’s compatibility with container bred plants. The organic mixture significantly improves the soil quality of the pot and enables smoother growth in a restricted environment.

With 100% natural additives, Espoma RT 4 is a fantastic choice for anyone who is looking to do some organic gardening. Moreover, according to the expert, it is the best fertilizer for roses in spring.

 

7. Dr. Earth Total Advantage Rose & Flower Fertilizer

Dr. Earth Total Advantage Rose & Flower FertilizerHere’s another organic fertilizer that can shoulder the responsibility of nurturing your roses naturally-Dr. Earth Total Advantage Rose & Flower Fertilizer. This solution is completely free of genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, and other red flag integrants but shows uncompromised efficiency in enhancing soil conditions and modifying soil texture.

A robust mix of favorable probiotics and mycorrhizae is the highlight of this fertilizer. It facilitates breaking down essential minerals and helps the soil to capture them properly. Making the soil nutrient-rich is the primary objective of any fertilizer and Dr. Earth Total Advantage Rose & Flower Fertilizer achieves this goal profoundly.

This solution works equally well for budding and dying plants. It’s not overwhelmingly strong, so the chances of overdosing your plants are highly improbable. That said, it still packs enough fuelling power to support the development of a growing rose plant and accommodate its transition to a full-fledged entity.

The best thing about Dr. Earth Rose Fertilizer is the absence of toxic materials. You can use this without adapting any safety precautions, as it poses no threat to human health. It doesn’t harm animals as well, so no chance of your pets becoming ill if they get exposed to it.

It has a  5-7-2 NPK number. The balanced NPK number makes this best fertilizer for the in-ground rose bushes as well as potted roses.

What Nutrients Need to Grow Rose?

What nutrients actually need a rose to grow? It is important to know for choosing the right rose fertilizer. The most required nutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. The NPK number of the fertilizer refers to these three nutrient ratios respectively.

Let’s know why the NPK is important for growing roses-

Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen plays a role above the ground. It mainly promotes vegetative growth. Moreover, It helps to build chlorophyll that increases photosynthesis and prevents the yellowing of the leaves.

Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus plays a role under the ground. It is important for root developments and healthy blooms of roses.

Potassium(K)

It is important for the overall rose plant health. Potassium is the vitamin of the plant. It makes the plant disease resistance and helps to produce beautiful flowers with vibrant colors.

Rose required some other nutrients in a small amount. Those are- Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Zinc.

How to Choose the Best Fertilizer for Rose Plant?

Slow-release, organic, balanced fertilizer may the best for roses but roses of different stages need different types of fertilizer. What happens if you apply nitrogenous fertilizer in the flowering stage? The flower won’t bloom properly.

So, how can you cope with this problem? What fertilizer you should use for roses?

If your roses are growing, apply higher nitrogen-containing fertilizer. Higher nitrogen promotes the foliage growth and helps you to get rose plants with dark green leaves.

Are flowers blooming and die after a certain growth? Then you need fertilizer that contains high phosphorus. Phosphorus is the nutrient that helps the plant to long-lasting and bigger blooms.

If your rose plants aren’t blooming, apply more potash containing fertilizer. Potash works on overall plant health and makes the stems stronger. Strong stems further help the plants to reach the nutrients from roots to leaves.

Thereafter, organic materials such as kelp, bone meal, earthworms, and other organic fertilizer promote microbial activity that increases soil fertility.

How often to Fertilize Roses?

According to the experts, the most practiced rule for applying fertilizer on roses is every 2-3 weeks during the growing and developing season. But it may change. Because fertilizer schedule also depends on the type of fertilizer, the type of soil, and the plants’ needs.

Type of Fertilizer for Roses

Generally, spike and granular fertilizers are slow-release fertilizers. They break down and release nutrients slowly for a longer period of time. So, Fertilizing the slow-release fertilizer once per month is optimal. Overdo can burn the leaves.

On the other hand, Liquid fertilizer breaks down fast and feed the roses instantly. So, Nutrient deficiency occurs within a very short time. Applying twice per month will be safe for roses.

Type of Soils

The type of soil for roses is also important for determining the fertilizing schedule. Loam and clay soil can prevent water runoff & leach out and hold the nutrients in the soil for a longer time. That’s why loam and clay used as best potting soil for roses. On the other hand, sandy soil can’t hold water as well as nutrients.

Apply some of the garden soil on the sandy type soil and reduce the excessive pressure on fertilizer. Here is the recommended soil for your roses- Miracle-gro planting Mix for roses

Plants’ Needs

You must know the plants need fertilizer or not and If the roses need fertilizer, then what fertilizer? You know, add too much nitrogen to the soil increase the foliage growth but stops the flowering. So NPK ratio is another point that you also should consider to determine the rose fertilizer schedule.

When choose higher nitrogen-containing fertilizer and when lower? Already told in the above. I hope you didn’t miss it.

Rose Fertilizer Schedule

If fertilizing on roses seems complicated, then this step-by-step schedule for you.

Fall: Apply fertilizer with little nitrogen or no nitrogen. As a result, stronger roots will develop that helps the roses to survive in winter.

Winter: No need to apply fertilizer

Spring: Apply rose fertilizer again to get beautiful blooms in late spring and early summer.

When to Start Fertilizing Roses?

Never fertilize on the growing cuttings that have no leaves. Start fertilizing the rose when new growth is 5-6 inches tall and appears some leaves.

When to Stop Fertilizing Roses?

Stop fertilizing roses 2 months before the frost comes. Fertilizer promotes the growth of new tender but the tender affected the by the frost that damages the overall plant health.

What Is The Best Time to Apply Fertilizer Roses?

Morning is the best time to apply fertilizer roses. Morning weather stays calm and has little chance to wind loss, evaporation, and heat stress. So, the nutrients absorption rate increases in the morning.

You can also fertilize roses in the evening. But don’t apply the foliar spray at this time. If you spray in the evening, the leaves will stay wet overnight that can develop fungal diseases.

How to Fertilize Roses?

Follow the simple steps to feed your roses-

  1. Digg out the ground cover to help to get the fertilizer into the soil.
  2. Sprinkle the capful fertilizer around the base of roses. Don’t add fertilizer in one place of ground or at the base of the plants.
  3. Topdress the 2-3 inches soil.
  4. Water the roses.

Remember;

Lack of moisture in the soil promotes the leaves burning by nitrogen fertilizer. So, water the roses before and after the fertilizer. It also helps to reach the nutrients into the root zone.

Best Homemade Rose Fertilizer

You can also feed homemade fertilizer to your roses. It can reduce the pressure on NPK fertilizer. Moreover, It is completely organic and less complicated.

Here are 6 households rose fertilizer for you-

1. Tea Bags and Leaves

Tea leaves contain tannic acid and the rose love it. After decomposing, the tea leaves create a favorable environment and emit nutrients for roses.

2. Egg Shells

Eggshells are a good source of calcium. It helps the roses to roots and foliage development. Besides, it also increases the other nutrients uptake efficiency and makes the plant disease resistance.

3. Banana Peels

Banana peels contain 42% potassium and 25% phosphorus and some other nutrients. You know all the nutrients are essential for healthy plants and vibrant flowers.

Also Read: 15 uses of banana peel in the garden and daily life [How to Guide]

4. Fish Meals/Bone Meals

You know;

Fishbone contains lots of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients in an adequate amount for roses. Sprinkle the fish meal on the ground of roses. It will break down after a few days and provide nutrients to the roses.

Here are the recommended bone meal and fish fertilizer for your roses-

5. Powdered Milk

Powdered milk contains calcium that promotes vegetative growth and roots development. Also, the milk can control and prevent some fungal diseases. How the milk acts as a fungicide that I have discussed in another article. It may help- How to Get Rid of White Spots on Basil Leaves [Treatment]

6. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds have 2%, ½ %, and 1% nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash respectively. Want to know the best part of the coffee grounds? why coffee grounds are so good fertilizer for roses? Because of the higher nitrogen percentage. It maintains the soil pH from neutral to acidic.

Besides, Coffee grounds also help the rose to get rid of insects. That’s why it may be the best household fertilizer for roses.

7. Horse and Cow Manure

It’s no longer a secret, horse and cow manure are best for roses. It is rich in microorganisms that regenerate humus and improve the quality of the soil. Place it at the feet of roses in spring: it will act as organic mulch.

Chicken manure also can take good care of your roses. Here is the best chicken manure for roses-Charlie’s Compost 10 lb

8. Blood Meal for Roses

The dried blood meal contains nitrogen that promotes the growth of roses and increases the vibrancy of color of the foliage.
It is a natural fertilizer that is ideal for bedding rose bushes.

DIY Rose Organic Fertilizer Recipes

Recipe-1: Early Spring Organic Fertilizer Recipe

Items Required:

  1. Epsom salt (our pick: Solimo Epsom Salt)
  2. Bone meal (our pick: Jobe’s Organics Bone Meal Fertilizer)
  3. Cottonseed meal (our pick: Espoma CM3 Cottonseed Meal)
  4. Blood meal (our pick: Jobe’s Organics Blood Meal Fertilizer)
  5. Fish meal/crab meal (our pick: Down to Earth Organic Crab Meal)

Steps:

  1. Take 1 cup of Epsom salt,2 cups of bone meal,2 cups of cottonseed meal,1 cup of blood meal, and 1 cup of fish meal in a container and mix it properly.
  2. Water the rose plant and spread the fertilizer around the plant base.
  3. Mix the fertilizer into the top 2 inches soil.

Recipe-1: Alfalfa Meal Recipe

Items Required

  1. Alfalfa meal(our pick: Down to Earth Organic Alfalfa Meal Fertilizer)
  2. Greensand(our pick: Espoma Organic Greensand )
  3. Bone meal (our pick: Jobe’s Organics Bone Meal Fertilizer)
  4. Epsom salts (our pick: Solimo Epsom Salt)
  5. Apple cider vinegar (our pick: Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar)
  6. Molasses(our pick: Golden Barrel Unsulfured Black Strap molasses)
  7. Gypsum (our pick: Hoffman 17005 Garden Gypsum)
  8.  Kelp extract (our pick: Liquid Kelp Extract Seaweed)
  9. Water

Steps

  1. Take  1 cup alfalfa of meal,1 cup of fish meal,1 cup greensand,1 cup gypsum,1 tablespoon of Epsom salts,2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar,2 tablespoons of molasses,1 teaspoon of kelp extract and 3 cups of water into a container.
  2. Mix all the ingredients together.
  3. Pour the mixer into 2 gallons of water.
  4. Water 1/2 gallon on small rose bush. Apply more on the larger rose plants.

FAQs

#What pH Do Roses Like?

Roses are slightly acid-loving plants. Neither they like alkaline soil nor extreme acidic soil. They enjoy most in pH slightly lower than neutral(6-6.9). According to experts, the optimum pH is 6.5 for growing healthy roses.

To decrease pH add organic matter to the soil, such as coffee ground, powdered sulfur. If the soil pH extremely low, add some limestone, or lime to increase the pH.

Use a pH meter to know the exact soil pH. Here is the recommended pH meter for you-

Atree Soil pH Meter, 3-in-1 Soil Tester Kits with Moisture,Light and PH Test
Check on Amazon

#What Is The Best Fertilizer For Desert Rose?

Generally, Desert roses don’t need too much fertilizer. Well balanced slow-release granular or water-soluble liquid fertilizer can be the best fertilizer for Desert roses. But the experts say- they love phosphorus-rich fertilizer for healthy growth and flowering.

#Are Used Coffee Grounds Good for Roses?

Mainly coffee grounds are the natural source of nitrogen that also decrease the soil pH. So, you can apply pH on roses to adjust soil pH and provide nitrogen to the plants.

But remember; feeding too many coffee grounds make your plants bushy without flowers.

Note; tea bags also act like coffee grounds. So, you can apply tea bags on roses instead of coffee grounds.

#Are Eggshells Good for Roses?

Eggshell is also known as calcium carbonate. That means it can provide calcium to the plants. You will be happy to know calcium helps the plant in cell wall deposition and modify the chemical imbalance in the soil. So, there is no problem with feeding eggshells to roses.

#Are Banana Peels Good for Roses?

Banana peels are good for roses. Want to know why? Because it contains lots of potassium and phosphorus. Also, it has some other macro and micronutrients for plants that help you to get healthy and robust blooms.

#Is Epsom Salt Good for Rose Plants?

You know, magnesium is an essential plant nutrient for several important functions of plants. And Epsom salt is one of the popular sources of magnesium. So, you can feed Epsom salt to your plants for providing required magnesium.

Final Thoughts

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Rose gardening is a labor-intensive endeavor indeed. And all that effort will go in vain if you don’t manage to find a potent fertilizer for your flowers. Take a look at the climate, soil conditions, and species in order to pinpoint the best rose fertilizer for you.

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