About roses

Does anyone know what to feed a bunch of lazy rose bushes? I've fed mine Miracle Grow in order to get them in full bloom when my middle son comes to visit and they're not doing much. What is there that will get them in gear in a week?? Almost all of them have quite a few buds on them, but there they sit, like lumps on sticks and THEY WON'T GROW AND BLOOM!

My "weakest link" got all it's leaves eaten up by something last night! There nothing left but a few green twigs! WWWAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! HELP!!!

The neighborhood stray cat fed our roses little "surprises" and they just can't stop blooming!!!

(((( green twigs ))))

I don't know what to tell you Sept Morn.

Roses are snobs and very whiney, unlike Petunias who are more down to earth and much more pleasant to be around, IMO.

What kind of roses? And do you get Japanese beetles there? They can eat a whole bush in a day if there are enough of them. When was the last time you fed them the Miracle Grow, and do you use a long acting fertilizer, too? Do they normally bloom this time of year? If not, you may not be able to force them. And you don't want to burn them with too much fertilizer. Sometimes a "tonic" of compost tea can help if it's too soon to fertilize again. And a lot of the folks at Daves Garden Web swear by alfalfa meal for roses. I've not had luck obtaining that, though I haven't tried an actual feed store. But they make an alfalfa tea with it, and they swear by the results.

Good luck.

gg

"Cat surprises"???? You're kidding me! I've got a whole litter box full of 'em! Gonna have to think about that one! PEEE-UUUUU! LOL

Would you believe that my rose bed is flanked by members of your family? They're going gangbusters!! Been meaning to send you pics of your purple petalled sisters! They're GORGEOUS, of course! Double ruffled and all!

It's been a week since I fed them Miracle Grow and they've been watered twice since then. Miracle Grow can be used every 7-10 days.

Yes, it's blooming season for them. (Where are you, the southern hemisphere?? )

Tea! Tea? I can make compost tea that has "processed" alfalfa! (Bunny berries) You can use them "fresh" since they aren't hot like "road apples" or "cow chips". LOL

What do you think? Could I go ahead and make the tea and feed it in a couple of days? BTW, how long does the tea take to "steep" properly?

All this lingo is cracking me up!!

OH! What kind of roses... hmm... Mostly bush roses, a couple of them are floribunda... I have three miniature bushes but they're doing fine. Did that answer your question?

I don't know why I'm so tickled. hehehehehehe

(((((( Sept and roses )))))))

If those roses won't behave, tell 'em they better bloom soon or you'll be sticking them to a float and parading their sorry butts through the streets of Pasadena.

GG, never mind. I found the website as well as how to make compost or manure tea. Can you believe they encourage you to use bunny berries? Just wish I had the time to make the tea. It takes about 5 days. Oh, well. Maybe the roses won't be in full bloom when my son gets here. Not everything can be perfect. Oh, sorrow, oh woe! LOL

hi sept, do you smoke or do you know someone who does? either way ask them for the contents of the ashtrays, throw away the butts but keep the ash, the ash is full of nitrates and is pretty good for a wide variety of plants, just sprinkle it around the rose bush base, you should still "feed" and water them per instructed, this just gives it that last kick in the butt to encourage growth, works wonders with tomatoes has well

Roses don't like wet feet, btw. They like a clean area by the trunk of the bush.

Hey, I use bunny berries on my glad corms... eager to see if they grow better than the areas I didn't us them

AWWW MAAAAAAN! And I've been emptying ashtrays ashes and all! Guess it's time to put a strainer in my ashtrays to separate the ashes from the butts! AAAHHHHHH!

Thanks, Mellors!

I would do that but I prefer to bury the bunny berries instead of just putting them around the bushes. They look ugly and they draw flies. They float in water, too.

"They float in water too"

BTW there Mzzzzz Tomi, how are the preparations going for the infamous visit??? Have you calmed down at all or are you still crackin the whip on the poor hubby??

That's how the preparations are going. My job list is all crossed of, though! Guess who's isn't??? The king of the lair is now sitting out in the sun "working on his tan." It's 8:19 am... and all is NOT well. ggrrrrrrrrrr