Does you rose plan look like this ?

[flowbe202]

I would even suggest deep root feeding with a dry food like Rose-tone. Feeding on the surface won't get the food down to your big tap root. If this baby has been here for 5+ years, your root is deep--and you need to get the food to it!

You can do it simple & cheap with a funnel and a piece of rebar and some Rose-tone or fancy with a liquid feeder and assorted equipment.

http://www.easygardener.com/pdf/Ross...structions.pdf

Fertilizing Roses & Rose Bushes - Heirloom Roses

[RRBC]

Originally Posted by nc99

thank you! i love your purple flowers! what are those ?

Those are the type of lavender they seem to sell everywhere in the south (sorry, I haven't paid attention to the variety but it's about the only type you can find in most of the standard stores).

[beachmel]

Originally Posted by flowbe202

I would even suggest deep root feeding with a dry food like Rose-tone. Feeding on the surface won't get the food down to your big tap root. If this baby has been here for 5+ years, your root is deep--and you need to get the food to it!

You can do it simple & cheap with a funnel and a piece of rebar and some Rose-tone or fancy with a liquid feeder and assorted equipment.

http://www.easygardener.com/pdf/Ross...structions.pdf

Fertilizing Roses & Rose Bushes - Heirloom Roses

Yep, yep, yep!

What are we always told, when dealing with plants? "Don't hurt the root system". We get that so ingrained into our brains, that...until it's too late, we generally neglect the root systems of many of our older shrubs. I have had to apologize profusely, for nearly killing MANY plants over the years. Ants and underground rodents can absolute destroy a plant.

Throughout the year, I'll use the lawn rake handle and stab the ground around shrubs. It's amazing how often I'll hit nothing. Sometimes, it's rodents....sometimes it's ants or other insects.

The worst part of it is...when you're trying to avoid chemicals, you simply don't broadcast pesticides as "prophylactics" and don't know something is wrong, until it's REALLY wrong.