Only if they have a specific magnesium deficiency, with yellow around the edges of the leaves and between the green veins. This is different to chlorosis, yellowing of the leaves due to lack of iron. A proprietary rose food like David Austin or Vitax Azalea (which has the same NPK as the DA food) has a balanced nutrient content including magnesium - which is what epsom salts is - so you wouldn’t need or want to add more usually as it would may the balance and may lock out uptake of other essential nutrients. It cannot take the place of a balanced feed on it’s own.
Epsom salts will correct a lack of magnesium if your roses are suffering from a lack of magnesium. If your roses are not suffering from a lack of magnesium and you give them Epsom salts, you'll risk depriving your roses of calcium which will cause a problem. So unless your roses are showing signs of magnesium deficiency don't give them Epsom salts. I feed mine with blood, fish and bone in early March and give them a mulch at the same time. In late June I give them a little more BFB and that's all they get.
If you think there's a problem with your roses, post a pic and we'll try and help
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
@Fire, I’ve also become a fan after watching YouTube video about Rose replant disease. I’ve been watching the rest of the videos she’s done on YouTube, the one about how NOT to get back pain when gardening was useful.
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.
@Fire, I’ve also become a fan after watching YouTube video about Rose replant disease. I’ve been watching the rest of the videos she’s done on YouTube, the one about how NOT to get back pain when gardening was useful.
I like the videos on the benefits of baseless pots and raised beds too.
I think epsom salts, used properly and at the correct dosage, may help if you have a noticeable magnesium deficiency in your soil or caused by your soil profile preventing take-up. There are a few things BG has said lately that I felt at best were misleading!
I have atrociously shallow, rocky alkaline clay soil and extremely hard water. I do have to supplement with chelated iron occasionally to combat chlorosis, mulch deeply with ericaceous compost made from pine chippings, use rainwater when I have it or slightly acidify tap water by chucking a couple of used teabags in the watering can AND feed, otherwise my roses languish and flower poorly. I have never added epsom salts so far.
However, this year I’ve made my own rose food from alfalfa tea with added fish emulsion plus a very small proportion of epsom salts and iron. I used this as an initial feed and now give weekly liquid seaweed feeds and will add potassium sulfate later for flowering. Basically I am attempting to recreate the balanced feed you can buy in a packet, since I can no longer get any organic rose feed here!
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If your roses are not suffering from a lack of magnesium and you give them Epsom salts, you'll risk depriving your roses of calcium which will cause a problem.
So unless your roses are showing signs of magnesium deficiency don't give them Epsom salts.
I feed mine with blood, fish and bone in early March and give them a mulch at the same time. In late June I give them a little more BFB and that's all they get.
If you think there's a problem with your roses, post a pic and we'll try and help
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Ok. Better to say - Epsom salts don't help.
I like the videos on the benefits of baseless pots and raised beds too.
I have atrociously shallow, rocky alkaline clay soil and extremely hard water. I do have to supplement with chelated iron occasionally to combat chlorosis, mulch deeply with ericaceous compost made from pine chippings, use rainwater when I have it or slightly acidify tap water by chucking a couple of used teabags in the watering can AND feed, otherwise my roses languish and flower poorly. I have never added epsom salts so far.
However, this year I’ve made my own rose food from alfalfa tea with added fish emulsion plus a very small proportion of epsom salts and iron. I used this as an initial feed and now give weekly liquid seaweed feeds and will add potassium sulfate later for flowering. Basically I am attempting to recreate the balanced feed you can buy in a packet, since I can no longer get any organic rose feed here!