But it's all chemicals! Everything is chemicals. I used to use bfb and chicken manure in my garden but the foxes loved it so much I had to switch to Growmore. Organic or non-organic, all you add is chemical in one form or another.
BF&Bone is 'organic' by it's nature, but there's a chemical process to produce it.
I don't know if you'd need more than that to benefit roses though. @AnniD 's suggestion has manure added, and that's what I'd suggest - rotted manure. If you don't want anything 'packaged' and processed, you could try getting manure from a local stable or riding school for example. That will depend on where you are of course.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My point was that everything is chemicals. People say they don't want to use chemicals but poo is chemicals, blood is chemicals, fish bits are chemicals. Every living thing on earth and most dead stuff is chemicals.
You may have preferences about how they are produced but they are all chemicals and they are all derived from natural products because it is not possible to produce something from nothing.
I follow a plant-based diet ... so won't use blood, fish & bone .... too many dead things in it. Also, the many foxes and badgers here would possibly be attracted to it.
I have a big garden, and make copious amounts of compost to feed the soil ... and loads of leaf mould for a surface mulch to keep down weeds. I also make lots of comfrey and nettle feed. I do buy some liquid seaweed feed for the box topiary.
Our friends keep alpacas, and I have access to a big pile of their poo ... which we add to the compost heap.
The plants here all do well enough ... so I don't feel the need to buy anything else to feed the plants we have. And nothing I am using has a detrimental effect on our bees.
Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Ah thanks Bee, this is so reassuring. I cannot abide the smell of FBB but it seemed the most popular answer.
I follow no dig permaculture, so do exactly what you are doing but make my own nettle fermentation. I've just started using seaweed liquid too, so fingers crossed.
The other thing I do it tickle in some wood ash from our wood-burning stove around the daylilies to encourage flowering. It seems to work well, and any spare gets mixed into the compost heaps.
Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
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https://www.sealantsandtoolsdirect.co.uk/doff-rose-and-shrub-feed-plant-food-manure-enriched-fertiliser-15kg
Other retailers are available
I don't know if you'd need more than that to benefit roses though.
@AnniD 's suggestion has manure added, and that's what I'd suggest - rotted manure. If you don't want anything 'packaged' and processed, you could try getting manure from a local stable or riding school for example. That will depend on where you are of course.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You may have preferences about how they are produced but they are all chemicals and they are all derived from natural products because it is not possible to produce something from nothing.
Also, the many foxes and badgers here would possibly be attracted to it.
I have a big garden, and make copious amounts of compost to feed the soil ... and loads of leaf mould for a surface mulch to keep down weeds.
I also make lots of comfrey and nettle feed.
I do buy some liquid seaweed feed for the box topiary.
Our friends keep alpacas, and I have access to a big pile of their poo ... which we add to the compost heap.
The plants here all do well enough ... so I don't feel the need to buy anything else to feed the plants we have.
And nothing I am using has a detrimental effect on our bees.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I follow no dig permaculture, so do exactly what you are doing but make my own nettle fermentation. I've just started using seaweed liquid too, so fingers crossed.
The other thing I do it tickle in some wood ash from our wood-burning stove around the daylilies to encourage flowering.
It seems to work well, and any spare gets mixed into the compost heaps.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime