Rose care involves a key aspect – regular and proper fertilisation, as these plants are quite demanding when it comes to nutrition. Roses can survive without additional nutrients, but they won’t thrive.
Picking the right fertiliser is crucial for cultivating the healthiest plant possible. An excessive amount of nitrogen in the soil leads to a lush plant with few or no blooms, while insufficient nitrogen causes yellow foliage, stunted new growth, and small, pale roses.
A deficit of phosphorus makes for dull leaves, leaf drop, weak flower stems, and buds that refuse to open.
On the other hand, an insufficient potassium intake results in frail stems, underdeveloped buds, and leaves that are yellow at the edges and eventually brown.
It’s not all about chemical additions though as kitchen scraps can also do wonders for roses, particularly two standout items.
Lisa Fontanarosa, flower and interior stylist at Lisa Fontanarosa Collection, shared her secret: “To help boost flowering while promoting the growth of your roses, think of the foods you already eat that are rich in magnesium and potassium such as bananas, eggs and your morning cup of coffee.”
Emphasising their efficacy, she added: “These are all the best things for fertilising your garden roses. Yes, that’s right, believe it or not, banana peels and eggshells are one of my favourite homemade fertilisers for my rose plants and my gardens.”
She highlighted that they contain potassium and other “beneficial” minerals like phosphorus, calcium, and sulphur.
To whip up this “homemade fertiliser”, begin by pulverising two to three eggshells and combine them with a sliced banana peel. Stir in coffee grounds and integrate the trio into the soil surrounding your roses.
Place this concoction into a container before blending it with your planting soil. Each ingredient will serve as a “slow release fertiliser, pest deterrent and soil amendment”.
Eggshells double as a “pest deterrent” too when chopped into tiny coarse fragments and scattered around your greenery, as the delicate underfoot of pesky intruders finds the jagged eggshells “challenging” to traverse.
Lisa highlighted that for those who prefer simplicity, just banana peels can be used since they break down swiftly, enriching the soil with essential minerals like sulphur, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and trace elements.
For a banana-only approach, pulverise four to six banana peels into a fine mush with water and blend it into your growing mix.
In times without bananas, the guru shared her fondness for mixing eggshells with mushroom compost and an all-purpose organic plant feed. She advised: “Add a few tablespoons of this mixture around the rose bushes and water it in.”
