Kickstart Your Roses for a Bountiful Spring!

Roses are one of the most beautiful and rewarding plants to grow in any garden, but to achieve those stunning blooms and robust growth, they require proper care — and that includes fertilizing. While there are many different approaches to feeding your roses, using the right fertilizer can make all the difference in your plants’ health and performance. Among the top choices, Witherspoon's Premium Fertilizer is a standout, offering a unique advantage: it's a 2-in-1 formula that combines both quick and slow-release fertilizers, requiring just one application per season.

Why Fertilize Your Roses?

Roses are heavy feeders, which means they absorb a lot of nutrients from the soil. Without proper fertilization, they can become weak, fail to bloom properly, or suffer from pests and diseases due to stress. Properly nourished roses are healthier, more vibrant, and better equipped to resist environmental challenges.

Fertilizing your roses helps replenish essential nutrients that the soil may lack, ensuring your roses grow strong and vibrant. The primary nutrients that roses need are:

• Nitrogen (N): For leafy growth and overall plant health.
• Phosphorus (P): To encourage strong root development and promote blooming.
• Potassium (K): For disease resistance and overall plant strength.

Other essential elements like calcium, magnesium, and sulfur also play crucial roles in the plant’s health and blooming process.

The Challenge of Fertilizing Roses

One of the most common questions rose gardeners face is how often to fertilize. Traditional rose fertilizers require several applications throughout the growing season to ensure your plants continue to thrive. This can be time-consuming and sometimes difficult to manage, especially for busy gardeners or those who want a low-maintenance approach.

This is where Witherspoon's Premium Fertilizer comes in.

How to Apply Witherspoon’s Premium Fertilizer

Using Witherspoon's Premium Fertilizer is simple and hassle-free. Here’s how to apply it for the best results:

1. Timing: Apply the fertilizer in early spring, just as your roses begin to emerge from dormancy. This is when they need the most nutrients to kickstart the growing season.

2. Preparation: Gently loosen the soil around the base of each rose bush using a rake or hoe. This helps the fertilizer penetrate the root zone and ensures optimal absorption. Create 2 holes on either side of the rose beneath the mulch you have.

3. Application: Sprinkle 1 cup of Witherspoon’s Premium Fertilizer in each hole for a total of 2 cups per rose. Be sure to follow the guidelines for the best results, as over-fertilizing can harm the plant.

4. Watering: After application, water your roses thoroughly. This helps activate the fertilizer and ensures that the nutrients begin to absorb into the soil and reach the roots. If rain is in the forecast, you can let nature do its thing.

Additional Tips for a Bountiful Spring

While Witherspoon’s Premium Fertilizer provides all the nutrients your roses need for the year, other factors also play a crucial role in keeping your roses healthy:

• Watering: Roses need deep watering, especially during hot weather. Aim to water deeply at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the foliage, which can promote disease.
• Weeding: Regular weeding around your roses is vital for the success of the plant. Keeping weeds at bay will help reduce pests and your rose won't have to fight for nutrients. 
• Mulching: A layer of mulch around the base of your roses can help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and maintain a consistent soil temperature.

Additional Options for Fertilizing

Here are two common fertilizers that we also find to be good.

Rose Tone: excellent organic option that will require multiple applications throughout the growing season.

10-10-10: this common fertilizer among gardens can also be used on roses and will require multiple applications throughout the growing season.