How to Give Your Roses a Spring Tonic

Just like people, roses love a little spring tonic to get them going in the early months of the year. This organic spring tonic delivers a strong shot of the nutrients roses need most to get them growing strong and sending out lots of buds.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Greensand
• Bonemeal
• Fish Meal
• Garden Trowels
• Hand Cultivators
• Epsom Salts
• Alfalfa Meal
• Gypsum
• Buckets
• Epsom salts

1. Apply spring tonic in early spring, after any winter protection has been removed.

2. Mix together in a 5-gallon bucket: 2 cups alfalfa meal, 2 cups Epsom salts, 2 cups fish meal, 2 cups greensand, 2 cups gypsum, and 1 cup bonemeal.

3. Pull back any mulch around the rose bush.

4. Work about 1 cup of the spring tonic into the top inch or so of the soil for smaller rose bushes; use a trowel or hand cultivator. Very large rose bushes (those 6 feet or taller) need 3 to 4 cups.

5. Replace mulch and water rose well.

Tips & Warnings

• This spring tonic is also ideal for applying a second time to those roses that keep blooming. Just scratch 2 cups into the soil in late June.
• Wear a dust mask while mixing together the ingredients.