Roses are known to thrive in soils such as mushroom compost due to them being significantly high in organic matter. The high organic material helps to provide plants with all the necessary nutrients they need to bloom over a long period of time.
Established roses should be given compost with a ½ cup of bonemeal in mid-spring or early summer as their first feed for the season. If you are not using compost as a mulch, you should give your roses a handful or two of compost every 3 to 4 weeks throughout the growing season.
Planting your Rose
The best compost to use is a loam-based John Innes No 3 to which 10 to 20 percent multi-purpose compost, horse manure compost, or very well-rotted manure should be added for richness.
Well-rotted manure or garden compost dug in before planting will help stimulate strong root growth. We do not recommend the use of mushroom compost. When planting in the autumn, plant with Bone Meal and mulch with manure and compost around the top. Please remember not to work soil that is very wet.
Mushroom compost is suitable for most garden plants. It supports various types of plant growth, from fruits and vegetables to herbs and flowers. To get the greatest results when organic gardening with mushroom compost, thoroughly mix it in with the garden soil prior to planting.
Like most types of compost, mushroom compost provides low levels of lots of different nutrients to the roots of plants over time, as it gradually degrades. This makes it great as a slow-release fertilizer, feeding the soil and therefore improving plant health.
Roses like soil that offers suitable drainage, is nutrient-rich and slightly acidic – with a pH around 6.5-7. If you need to improve your soil before planting it's advisable to add organic fertiliser or use organic matter, such as cow manure or compost, before planting.
Alfalfa is one of the best overall organic amendments, resulting in more vigorous growth and increased bloom production. Coffee grounds can be sprinkled around the base of rose bushes at any time during the growing season for a boost of nitrogen.
Roses are very adaptable and can be grown in almost any soil type given it is well drained, deep and full of humus (decayed organic matter). However, the best soils are those of a medium to heavy loam to a minimum of 35cm, over a good clay sub-soil.
You only need ericaceous compost for roses if the pH level of your garden soil is more alkaline than the required levels. Use ericaceous compost to reduce the pH level if it's too high. For soil within the normal range, ericaceous compost may make it too acidic for your roses to thrive.
A good base of lots of cow manure when you plant your rose bush is extremely important. Composted cow manure delivers a large variety of nutrients to your rose bushes over several years. It is well worth it to spend a little more at the beginning to give your plants the nutrients they need for years to come.
Yes, you can put dead plants in compost. However, take care before doing so, as you might end up shooting yourself in the foot if you do not take the necessary precautions. Dead plants such as dead flowers and leaves are an excellent source of carbon in the composting pile.
After mushroom growers use the compost and it is spent of mushroom-supporting nutrients, the compost is often resold or repurposed for regular garden compost needs. While not as nutrient-rich as traditional compost, spent mushroom substrate retains water and provides nutrition for plants.
Mushroom compost and cow manure are excellent organic garden amendments. They improve soil structure, increase nutrient availability, and help retain moisture. Usually, mushroom compost is considered a better option for the garden because it is more high-quality. It is also easier to handle and store than cow manure.
Mushroom compost contains an average of 1.12 percent nitrogen in a mostly organic form that slowly is available to plants.
Boosts soil health, improves soil moisture and nutrient retention. Increases worm and microbial activity. Safe on roses and all flowering plants.
Dynamic Lifter for Roses has an ideal balanced formula for promoting growth as well as flowering. It is relatively high in potassium which also improves disease resistance.
A regular, generous application of well rotted animal manure or compost and blood and bone are perfect for roses. Avoid manure from animals that eat meat and use chicken manure sparingly - as these are too acidic for roses.
Fertilize your roses a minimum of twice a year: once in spring, and once again in mid to late summer. In between, look to feed roses every month to ensure healthy growth.
Roses love rich soil, but they also need well-draining soil. Therefore, the potting mix and compost combination is ideal for container rose gardening. Aim for a ratio of two-thirds potting mix and one-third compost. At this time, a slow-release granular rose fertilizer can also be added to the soil.
Mushroom compost is therefore most useful on acid soils that are low in organic matter, where the liming effect of the chalk is an added benefit to soil fertility. Mushroom compost is not recommended for neutral, alkaline or chalky soils, which would be made excessively alkaline by the addition of further chalk.
To add mushroom compost to your soil, spread a layer of at least 5cm thick on the surface, and mix it into the top 20cm of soil. Leave for 1 week to allow the compost and soil to combine, then sow your seeds, water the soil and leave to grow.
Contrary to what some might think, manure is not the main ingredient in mushroom compost. While manure is a component of the recipe, the main ingredients are hay and straw.