To perform their best, roses need a continuous source of nutrients throughout the growing season. Healthy roses not only bloom better, they are better able to withstand insect and disease problems.
There are many different kinds of fertilizers, so it can be confusing to know how and when to fertilize your roses. Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of your roses.
Do Roses Like Bone Meal? A Detailed Look at This Popular Fertilizer
Bone meal has long been touted as an essential fertilizer for growing beautiful roses. The advice to sprinkle bone meal into the planting hole is commonly given to novice rose gardeners. But what exactly is bone meal, and is it truly beneficial for roses? Let’s analyze the science behind using bone meal for roses.
What is Bone Meal?
Bone meal is a granular, powdery organic fertilizer made from ground animal bones, usually cattle, pigs, chickens or other livestock. The bones are crushed into a meal and thermally processed to sanitize them before being pulverized into a fine powder.
The resulting material is rich in phosphorus and calcium, Bone meal typically contains around 12-16% phosphorus and 20-24% calcium, It also provides smaller amounts of nitrogen and potassium
Why Bone Meal is Often Recommended for Roses
There are a couple key reasons bone meal has traditionally been promoted as an ideal fertilizer for roses:
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Roses need phosphorus for proper root, stem, and flower development. Bone meal provides a highly concentrated source of this key nutrient.
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Phosphorus is not very mobile in soil. Applying bone meal directly in the planting hole puts phosphorus right where rose roots can access it.
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The calcium in bone meal helps roses properly utilize nutrients and prevents issues like blossom end rot.
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As an organic fertilizer, bone meal improves soil structure and nourishes helpful soil microbes.
When and How to Apply Bone Meal for Roses
Here are some tips on using bone meal for roses:
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Add 1-2 cups per large rose bush in the bottom of planting holes before transplanting new roses.
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Side dress established roses in early spring by raking back soil and sprinkling 1/4 cup per plant around drip lines, then watering in.
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Mix bone meal into potting soil blends at a rate of 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of soil.
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Use no more than 1 lb per 100 square feet when broadcasting bone meal over gardens.
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Lightly work bone meal into the top few inches of soil, taking care not to damage rose roots.
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Reapply bone meal every 2-3 months during the growing season to provide a steady phosphorus supply.
Potential Drawbacks of Using Bone Meal
While bone meal can be helpful, there are some potential disadvantages:
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It only provides phosphorus and calcium, lacking the complete nutrition roses require.
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Overapplying can cause excessive soil phosphorus levels.
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Its alkaline pH can gradually raise soil pH, potentially inhibiting nutrient absorption.
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It releases phosphorus slowly, requiring reapplication to sustain effects.
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Bone meal dust can irritate lungs, so wearing a mask during application is recommended.
The Bottom Line: Do Roses Like Bone Meal?
Bone meal is best applied lightly at planting time and in early spring each year. Regularly testing soil can ensure phosphorus levels don’t become excessive. When used thoughtfully alongside other organic amendments, bone meal can be a helpful asset for nourishing roses.
HOW AND WHEN TO FERTILIZE ROSES
- Amend the planting hole with rich organic matter.
- Work in a slow-release fertilizer according to package instructions along with a handful of bone meal for healthy root development.
- Sprinkle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Epsom salts around the base of the plant to promote foliar and cane development.
Continue to fertilize every 3 to 4 weeks with a mild fertilizer such as fish emulsion. If a new plant dries out at all, full-strength fertilizers can cause leaf margins and root tips to burn.
Early to mid-spring: Begin fertilizing when new leaves emerge. Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer or top dress with alfalfa meal (5-1-2) for the first application to jump-start leaf development, along with epsom salts to encourage new cane development and lusher growth. Add a slow-release fertilizer when shoots are 4 to 5 inches long.
Throughout the season: Continue to feed every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season depending on the type of fertilizer used.
Late summer to early fall: Apply a slow-release fertilizer with low nitrogen content such as bone meal to promote root growth and next year’s blooms. Stop fertilizing 6 to 8 weeks before your average first frost date to prevent new growth from being damaged by frost.
Because nutrients leach out more quickly due to more frequent watering, container roses may need fertilizing more often than those planted in the ground. (See more on how to grow roses in containers.)
NUTRIENTS THAT ROSES NEED
The primary nutrients (macronutrients) that all plants need are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).
Nitrogen encourages healthy, vigorous leaf growth. Since a rose’s ability to make flowers resides in its leaves, healthy foliage results in more flowers. Too much nitrogen will result in too much foliage and fewer blooms, while not enough nitrogen results in yellow leaves, stunted growth and smaller blooms.
Phosphorus promotes healthy root development and abundant flower production. A shortage of phosphorous can result in leaf drop, weak flower stems, and buds that won’t open.
Potassium, also referred to as potash, helps roses recover when stressed by insect and disease damage, or by extreme weather conditions. Lack of potassium can result in yellow leaf margins, weak flower stems and poorly developed buds.
Other nutrients: In order to thrive, roses also need micronutrients including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc.
Bone Meal For Roses Review
FAQ
When should I use bone meal on roses?
Bone meal can be applied in spring for a slow-release effect through the growing season and again in fall to promote root growth and next year’s flowers. Cottonseed meal boosts overall plant health. Apply once or twice a year for a slow-release effect throughout the growing season.
Can you sprinkle bone meal on top of soil?
What are the disadvantages of bone meal?
Which is better for roses, blood meal or bone meal?
Both. Blood meal provides nitrogen used for leafy growth, bone meal provides phosphorus for flowering/fruiting.