Roses are delicate plants that require proper care to thrive. To ensure that your roses stay healthy and in full bloom, it is important to fertilize them at the right time. However, there are certain instances when fertilizing your roses may do more harm than good.
One instance where you should avoid fertilizing your roses is during the dormant season. This is usually during the winter months when the temperature drops below freezing point. Fertilizing during this period may cause new growth to form, which can be damaged by the cold weather.
Another time when you should not fertilize your roses is just before a predicted rainy season. Fertilizer stimulates plant growth, but too much rainwater can easily wash away excess fertilizer nutrients from the soil before the roots absorb them. This creates a nutrient deficiency in the soil, limiting rose growth.
It’s also best to avoid fertilizing weak rose bushes or newly transplanted ones until they have acclimatized to their new environment for at least four weeks or as recommended by garden experts.
Additionally, avoid using nitrogen-rich fertilizer on mature flowering rose bushes after mid-summer. Nitrogen promotes green foliage growth instead of flower buds on established rose bushes after August due to shortened sunlight hours and lower temperatures, which signals this plant that it’s starting to prepare for dormancy; hence no more energy goes into blooming.
In conclusion, taking care of your roses requires careful consideration and knowledge of appropriate practices, such as avoiding over-fertilization at certain times of each growing cycle while providing appropriate other care required by the particular species being grown so as to enjoy beautiful blooms free from damage or disease