When to Fertilize Roses With Steer Manure?

Time Frame

• Fertilize roses with steer manure in early spring as new growth emerges to encourage vigorous growth and more blooms. Place one or two shovelfuls of composted manure on the soil near the rose plant. Spread the manure so it lies 6 inches from the base of the plant. Make two or three more manure applications throughout the summer if the rose plant shows slow growth or produces few flowers. Do not apply steer manure after mid-July to allow the rose plant time to harden before winter freezes arrive.

Benefits

• Steer manure, when properly applied to rose plants, provides a slow-release form of nitrogen and other nutrients, and also improves the soil as it breaks down. Steer manure is also inexpensive and readily available in most communities. When applied in the spring, steer manure gets rose plants off to a healthy start.

Considerations

• Apply a balanced rose fertilizer in the spring when you apply the steer manure to provide nutrients while the steer manure decomposes. Do not apply the manure or fertilizer too closely to the rose plants because the fertilizer can burn or damage rose plants' leaves and roots. Use aged steer manure only. Fresh manure depletes the soil of nitrogen and can burn the plants.

Rose Type

• All roses benefit from an annual spring application of steer manure, but hybrid tea roses demand more fertilizer than hardy shrub types. Shrub roses have developed over hundreds of years from wild and heirloom roses. These roses tolerate harsher growing conditions than their pampered counterparts, the hybrid roses. Base rose care and fertilizer treatments on the type of roses in your garden.