Q: I am taking care of two rose bushes and my fertilizing dates have been a month apart. That has not been a problem but now with fall coming on, my question is do I need to fertilize them another time or leave them alone? My last fertilizer dates have been June 27 for one plant and July 27 for the other one. Neither bush has been really great at producing roses this year, but I try to water them thoroughly (45 minutes) every couple days in the really hot part of the summer. Also, should I cut the plants back a lot before winter or not?
A:Â The answer to your first question is yes, it would be good to fertilize again now. Roses are heavy feeders that need to be supplied with nitrogen and phosphorus. It is better to apply small amounts every six weeks during the growing season beginning after you prune them in January or February and continue until June. Some like to continue fertilizing through the summer at half strength while others give their roses a break until fall. In either case, going back to regular fertilization can begin again in September and up through mid-October.
We recommend watering roses every three to five days in the summer down to 18 to 24 inches. In the spring and fall, you can back it off to every five to seven days and in the winter, every seven to 14 days. There is no need to prune now; you can take care of that in the new year.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu
