Rose fertilizer: 15 home remedies for fertilizing roses

Roses are characterized by their colorful and wonderfully fragrant flowers. In order for the plants to produce numerous flowers, they need a lot of nutrients. In addition to special rose fertilizers, hobby gardeners can also use home remedies to provide the plants with additional nutrients.

Banana peels

Banana peels produce a lot of humus when they rot, which has a positive effect on the flowering ability of roses and also ensures that they get through the winter better. Although they are very rich in nutrients, the nitrogen content is relatively low, so that overfertilization is usually not possible. There are two ways to make the rose fertilizer yourself:

Fixed

Cut the banana peels into small pieces
The smaller, the easier it is to mix them in soil
Dry the banana peels leave or use directly as fertilizer
Fertilizing is possible all season long

Fluid

Bring the banana peels to the boil with 1 liter of water
Let the brew steep overnight
Peel off the remains of the peel with a fine sieve
Dilute brew 1; 5 with water
Water crops with it

Tip: If you want to use banana peels as rose fertilizer, you should only use organic bananas. Because the fruits from conventional cultivation usually show a very high level of pollution.

beer

Beer is not only a popular drink, but is still a popular household remedy to fertilize rose plants organically. Because hops and malt contain natural nutrients, including plants

benefit. Making rose fertilizer from beer yourself is also easy and quick:

Mix the leftover beer with water in a ratio of 1: 2
Water the rose plants with it
Maximum twice a week

Nettle manure

Nettle manure is a true all-rounder: It provides many nutrients and is therefore suitable as a Rose fertilizer, it also strengthens the defenses of the plants and also acts as a Weed killer. In order to make the rose fertilizer yourself, however, a little patience is required:

Chop 1 kilogram of nettles
Put in 10 liters of rainwater
Place the mixture in a warm, sunny place
Wait until the mixture stops foaming and is dark in color
Sieving
Mix the mixture 1:10 with water
Water crops with it

Tip: It has proven to be good practice to only use the nettle manure until it is in bloom.

Eggshells

Eggshells consist almost entirely of calcium carbonate, which is also known as "carbonate of lime". While too much lime is harmful for many plants, the rose plants are happy about the additional lime supply. Eggshells are organic and can be used in both solid and liquid form.

Fixed

Spread eggshells on compost heaps
Fine dusting is sufficient
Best in combination with acidic material
E.g.: peat soil, coniferous wood or oak leaves

Fluid

Chop up eggshells
Either beat in a mortar or in a tea towel
Put the powder in the can with rainwater
Let it steep for 1 day
Water plants with it

Tip: In order to avoid unsightly lime stains, only the soil and not the plants themselves should be wetted with the eggshell water.

Horn shavings

Horn shavings are also well-known and proven: This is a natural waste product that consists of the horns of cattle or other ungulates. Horn shavings are very rich in nitrogen, but release their nutrients very slowly, which is why overfertilization is hardly possible. Accordingly, they can be used both separately as intermediate fertilization and as preparation before planting. They have proven to be most effective in combination with compost.

Intermediate fertilization

It is best to start with a small amount
Scatter horn shavings over the compost
Work both into the ground

preparation

Use before planting the new roses
Mix horn shavings into the planting hole
No further fertilizer is required in the first year

Wood ash

Wood ash provides the rose family with many important nutrients, such as potassium, phosphorus and lime. On top of that, it is an effective weed killer and has been shown to inhibit fungus and rot, which can prevent any diseases. In order to fertilize the plants organically with wood ash, an appointment in late winter or in early spring just before budding is suitable.

About 30 - 50 grams of wood ash per square meter
Every 4 - 6 weeks
Make thin grooves around plants
Fill the grooves with wood ash and cover with soil
Pour carefully

Tip: As ash is very fine, protection of the respiratory tract and eyes is recommended!

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds are a tried and tested household remedy and are still used today by many hobby gardeners as fertilizer. Not only is it organic, but it also contains many valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The additional fertilization with coffee grounds prevents nitrogen deficiency and discoloration of the leaves and promotes plant growth. On top of that, coffee grounds attract earthworms and other small animals, which in turn loosen the soil and, with their excretion, provide additional nutrients in the soil.

Let the coffee grounds dry (prevents mold growth)
Scatter around roses
Work into the ground
It is best to start with a small amount
If necessary, increase the amount weekly

Tip: Alternatively, coffee grounds can also be used in liquid form. For this purpose, the dried coffee grounds are mixed into the water with which the roses are then watered.

Potato water

The potato is an extremely popular ingredient in many dishes and impresses with its high nutrient content. This can also be found in the cooking water, because many nutrients and minerals are passed on to the cooking water during cooking. For this reason, potato boiling water is also an excellent home remedy for fertilizing roses. But not only the cooking water from potatoes is suitable as a rose fertilizer, because the same effect can also be achieved with other vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus or cauliflower.

Let the potato water cool down
Water plants directly with it
About once a week

Tip: Potato water is also great as a weed killer and can simply be poured over the unwanted plants.

Mineral water

Mineral water is - as the name suggests - rich in minerals, which roses also benefit. However, the dose of dissolved minerals in the water is low, which is why the home remedy is only suitable in combination with another fertilizer. It doesn't matter whether the mineral water is fresh or stale. Likewise, the plants do not care whether it is still water or whether it is enriched with carbonic acid. In principle, it would even be possible to water the plants exclusively with mineral water - but this does not really make sense.

Tea bags and tea grounds

Like coffee grounds, tea bags and tea grounds can also be used as rose fertilizers. However, it should be noted here that their effect is slightly less. Nonetheless, the tea leftovers are ideal as additional nutrient suppliers, with black and green tea being particularly recommended.