The 6 Best Rose Bush Fertilizers to Grow Amazing Roses

Rose blooms do not come easily. Rose plants require attention and hard work to survive, but that labor is handsomely rewarded with breathtaking flowers.

Using fertilizer is an essential part of rose maintenance, and making sure you use the best rose bush fertilizer is clutch.

Rose bush fertilizer will boost nitrogen and potassium in your plants, fortifying them against weather swings and pests. There are many fertilizers out there, so read on to find out which is the best rose bush fertilizer for your crop.

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The 6 Best Rose Bush Fertilizers

Okay, onto the main event. Here are some of the best rose bush fertilizers to explore.

Best Overall

Dr. Earth Total Advantage Organic Rose & Flower Fertilizer 

NPK: 4-6-2

Dr. Earth takes holistic care of your garden. It’s the only fertilizer on the market that is 100% non-GMO, and it has multiple organic certifications. That means you don’t have to worry about what you’re putting into the soil. No toxic chemicals that could poison other plants and wildlife or leak into water sources to cause havoc. 

Its blend of alfalfa, cottonseed, and seaweed extract combines into a multi-mineral and protein-enriched formula that releases into the soil quickly. Dr. Earth enriches the long-term health of the soil and plant through several growing seasons. It’s the best rose bush fertilizer for growing perennials, ensuring they have consistently fertile soil year after year. 

What you’re left with are vibrant buds and blooms that produce brilliantly colorful roses.

Best for Bigger Blooms

Hi-Yield Rose Fertilizer

NPK: 6-8-6

Bigger is better. If your goal is to produce the largest, most vibrant blooms in your garden, then you want to pick a rose bush fertilizer to give your bulbs the best chance of success. Hi-Yield Rose Fertilizer is packed with phosphorus. Its NPK value for the element is 8, a very high number. As mentioned above, phosphorus is key to delivering big blooms.

Hi-Yield proprietary formula is a mix of nutrients calibrated specifically to create big blooms and healthier stems to support the weight. It stimulates the bulb to grow big and tall. Make sure to cultivate and prune your rose bushes so that nothing stymies their growth. It’s long-lasting, too, so you only need to feed your roses about once per month. One cup per bush should do the trick.

Best for Starting Plants

Dr. Earth Organic & Natural Root Zone Starter Fertilizer

NPK: 2-4-2

We all have to start somewhere. If you are new to growing roses, you want to give your seedlings the best chance of success. Dr. Earth’s Root Zone fertilizer is a fantastic starter product formulated to help new bulbs and seeds survive the transfer from the container into the ground. 

With its dialed-back NPK value, it won’t over-saturate and over-stimulate your new buds. You’re not Vin Diesel. You don’t want to go too fast and furious with adding nutrients into the soil for new plants. That could stifle their growth or even lead to your roses not surviving.

As with all Dr. Earth products, the contents are all organic and non-GMO. They only use nutrients organically found in plants and mined minerals from the earth. 

The special sauce here is its TruBiotic microbes, which ensure nutrients are broken down in a way that enables roots to absorb them properly. Caring specifically for the root, it fortifies your fledging roses, ensuring they are strong enough to transfer to the garden bed.

Pet-Safe

Espoma Rose-Tone Organic Rose Plant Food

NPK: 4-3-2

If you are a pet owner, you might be worried about what chemicals you’re putting into your garden. Dogs love to sniff and eat whatever they can get their hands on, and we all know what happened to the cat when it got curious. 

If you have pets that will roam outside near your garden, you want to ensure you’re using organic rose bush fertilizer that won’t be toxic to them. Espoma Rose-Tone Organic Rose Plant Food is an ideal choice. It’s great for your roses. Along with its 100% natural and organic solution, Espoma is enhanced with bio-tone microbes that provide fecund earth for your roses to flourish in. It’s the brand regularly recommended by professional rose growers who use it to grow prize-winning blooms. 

And most importantly, it’s safe for people and pets. So let your dog and cat roam free without worrying about coming into contact with the soil. Now, as for keeping them away from rose thorns, that’s a different topic for a different article. 

Best for Troubled Roses

FoxFarm Organic Big Bloom Liquid Plant Food Concentrate

NPK: 0-0.5-0.7

If your roses are having trouble growing and you need a fast-acting solution, then check out FoxFarm Organic Big Bloom Liquid Plant Food Concentrate. Since it’s liquid, it gets absorbed into the soil immediately, providing instant rehabilitation and care to your rose bushes. 

FoxFarm uses organic ingredients to create its signature concentrate. It’s actually a blend of different fertilizers that can support a wide variety of rose blooms and seed formations. FoxFarm is gentle enough to use throughout all stages of rose bush growth and works on any age of bush. All you need to do is add into your watering can for an even spread across your rose bushes. 

FoxFarm also uses bat guano, one of the world’s first fertilizers, used by tribes for millennia. For thousands of years, it has proven to be nature’s perfect fertilizer. Any Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls fan knows the power of guano. 

Best for Tough Climates

Monterey Fish and Guano Liquid Fertilizer

NPK: 9-6-2

Depending on where you live, you may not have the ideal climate for growing roses. Especially with the climate becoming more volatile, it can be hard to gauge how your flowers will perform each year. If you do live in a zone that has more significant weather swings, you want to look into a potent fertilizer that can work overtime to keep your soil healthy. Having nutrient-rich soil can help roses survive bad bouts of weather.

Monterey Fish and Guano Fertilizer is packed with a high-yield NPK concentration which can provide a steady stream of nutrients to your rose bushes. It’s best to apply in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid damaging petals.

Though it contains natural products, it’s not technically certified organic. It’s best to avoid using near a water supply, and don’t apply after heavy rain when the soil is already full. With its chock-a-block mix of nutrients, Monterey can be the balm to get your roses through a rough season and come out the other end with full, magnificent blooms.