"Shiva" wrote in message
news:fc9bbe888b2a92c16943ce7ba93557c0@TeraNews...
We are having a discussion at Gardenweb in the Roses forum about
fertilizing.

Someone quoted Johnny Becnel (SP!) as saying most of us overferilize.
He apparently feeds a nine-month slow release and lets the roses rely
on mulch breakdown aside from that and a single application of
organics early in the season.

Thoughts?

I almost never use any synthetic fertilizer, and I get a sufficient volume
of blooms, enough to keep me happy. In the winter, I sprinkle bone meal and
blood meal around the base of the roses, then pile composted steer manure
around the base as well. Then every two weeks I clean the filter for my
pond, and I just dump all the muck and algae around the roses as well.
Better to feed the plants with the muck then to dump down the storm drain.

Works extremely well for me.