The two best times to fertilise rose shrubs for a garden full of 'bright and beautiful' blooms

Rose fertilisation should take place twice a year

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Solen Le Net

By Solen Le Net


Published: 08/06/2024

- 09:01

Rose fertilisation is one of the best hacks for ensuring the flowers survive until autumn

Although roses typically start the summer with strong growth, they need extra care throughout the season to continue thriving.

Generally, they will draw moisture from the soil to stay adequately moisturised as temperatures rise.


Additional fertilisation can give them an extra boost - with one expert suggesting spring and summer are the best times for feeding.

Chelsea Flower Show’s viral Emma Bridgewater rose, Claire Baglin, from Toolstation, highly encourages two annual feeds.

Rose shrub in yellow

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“Roses should be fertilised twice a year - once in spring and then again during the summer months," she said.

“Doing so now will fill your garden with bright, beautiful roses to enjoy alongside the nice weather.

“Ideally, roses should be fed before they have flowered, which is typically around March or April, however, you may still be able to catch them now.”

How to water roses

“When watering, direct the flow onto the soil around the base of the plant, avoiding the foliage and flowers," The Royal Horticultural Society advises.

“This helps to deter fungal diseases and avoid excess water use.”

Gardeners should note that too much heat during the summer can hamper some of the key processes that enable roses to grow.

To counter these effects, additional watering may be necessary.

How to prune plants

The two key aims of pruning roses include keeping the plant healthy and shaping it correctly.

The RHS suggest doing this by “removing any dead, diseased or damaged shoots” and “opening up the centre of the plant to improve air circulation, which deters fungal diseases”.

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Rose shrubsRoses produce bigger and stronger blooms when looked after properlyGETTY

Although trimming back roses may seem daunting, the task is generally simple enough to complete in a few minutes.

Daniel Scholfield, director of The Expert Gate Company, said timing is of the essence when trimming back the plant.

He told GB News: “One of the most important tasks for having roses look their best is deadheading, the process of cutting off the flowers that are fading on your shrubs, once a week or so.

“Deadheading keeps rose shrubs blooms, as without deadheading the plant begins to form seed pods instead of new flowers therefore leaving your shrubs look pretty bare."

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