Originally published 10 June 2025
There's a particular kind of magic to a garden in rose season — borders, beds and containers all bursting with colour and scent. But that display doesn't happen by accident. Behind every healthy, prolific rose is a consistent feeding routine. If you want an easy, mess-free way to keep your roses fed, our Rose Plant Fertiliser Sticks are built for exactly that job.
Why Roses Need Feeding
Roses are hungry plants. They'll survive on soil alone, but they won't thrive. A good feeding routine gives you:
• Stronger growth — healthier foliage and sturdier stems
• More flowers — deeper colour and a longer flowering season
• Better disease resistance — well-fed roses cope better with black spot and mildew
• Healthier roots — essential for taking up water and nutrients
Whether it's a heritage climber, a compact patio rose, or a classic hybrid tea, all of them respond to a good feeding regime.
When to Feed
Timing matters as much as the feed itself. Roses need a steady supply of nutrients right through the growing season, especially when they're producing new growth and flowers. A simple pattern to follow:
• March/April – first feed: as new growth appears, this kick-starts energy reserves and supports early buds
• Late May/early June – second feed: after the first flush of blooms, to encourage repeat flowering
• July/August – third feed: carries repeat-flowering varieties through the late-summer bloom
Each of our Rose Fertiliser Sticks feeds for 60 days, so the whole routine comes down to three simple applications — March, May and July — with the spikes doing the rest of the work.
Why Fertiliser Sticks Beat Traditional Feeding
Powders and liquid feeds bring their own hassles — mess, smell, careful measuring, and the risk of overdoing it. Our sticks solve all of that:
• No mess, no smell — solid sticks mean no splashing or mixing
• Nothing washes away — unlike liquid or granular feed, the formula stays put at the root zone
• Pre-measured — no guesswork, no risk of overfeeding
• Long-lasting — up to 60 days of feeding from a single stick
• Suitable for every rose type — climbing, shrub, patio or floribunda
How to Use Them
• Start in early spring, as soon as your rose shows signs of new growth.
• Push one or more sticks into the soil (check pack guidance), roughly halfway between the stem and the outer edge of the pot or bed.
• Water as normal — no need to change your routine. The slow-release formula does the work over the following weeks.
• Replace every 60 days through the flowering season.
Each pack of 20 sticks goes a long way, keeping your roses fed for months.
Pots vs the Ground
Container-grown roses use up (or lose to watering) nutrients faster than those in open ground, so a steady, long-lasting feed like ours is especially useful there. In beds and borders, sticks are just as valuable — they deliver nutrition straight to the rose's roots without feeding the weeds around it.
A Few Extra Tips
• Mulch after feeding to help retain moisture and improve soil health.
• Deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms.
• Water deeply but less often, rather than little and frequently.
• Stick to a consistent feeding schedule — roses reward reliability.
Feeding is one of the most important parts of rose care, and it doesn't need to be complicated. With Devonia Rose Plant Fertiliser Sticks, you get all the benefit of a professional-grade feed without the fuss — so this rose season, give your garden's star performers what they need and enjoy a summer of colour. Looking to add to your rose bed? We like the ranges from David Austin Roses, Golden Valley Plants and Peter Beales Roses. And for the finishing touch to your beds and borders, take a look at our edging range.
