How to Fertilize Double Knockout Roses
With over six months worth of bloom time, Double Knock Out Roses are rapidly becoming a favorite among flower gardeners. Easy to grow, these rose bushes are resistant to the diseases that affect other roses, including black spot and powdery mildew. The only thing Double Knock Out Roses need beyond water is fertilizer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Fertilize the Double Knock Out Rose with the soil mixture used when planting it. Roses need at least 6 hours of sunlight every day. They need well-drained soil that retains moisture and a pH of 6 to 6.5. Mixing in equal amounts of peat moss, potting soil and mulch with the garden soil will give the rose its first nutrients.
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Place a 2 inch layer of mulch under the Double Knock Out Rose after planting. This will not only help retain moisture, but will continue to feed the rose as it decomposes.
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Fertilize the rose after it blooms the first time, approximately 6 to 8 weeks if planted in the spring or summer. Ortho's All About Roses recommends applications of organic fertilizers every four weeks. For gardeners who use chemical-fertilizers, they recommend major feedings using a time-released synthetic fertilizer in spring and again in mid-summer.
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Use applications of complete rose food between the major feedings. Bayer Advanced All in One Rose and Flower Care is a combination of fertilizer, pesticide and fungicide. For one rose bush, mix 2 tablespoons of the solution in a quart of water and pour around the base of the rose. Repeat once a month during the growing season.
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Give roses potassium by burying old bananas and banana peels. Move aside a portion of the mulch under the rose, dig a shallow trench in the soil and insert the banana or banana peel. Cover over the banana or peel with the soil and smooth the mulch back in place.
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- Photo Credit Paula K. Parker
