Lenten roses are among the most easy-care spring bloomers in the garden. They only need a little water and it is better to avoid fertilizing altogether. It is better to mulch the soil around the perennials. In this way you provide the lenten rose with important nutrients.
In principle, spring roses do not need fertilizer
Spring roses require little care
Once the spring rose has really settled in, it needs almost no care. It forms long roots with which it provides itself with water and nutrients. If left where it is, it will be many years old.
Additional fertilizers are not necessary, especially if you have improved the soil with sufficiently mature compost before planting. In the following years, an annually renewed layer of mulch is completely sufficient.
Be careful not to dig up the soil between the lenten rose bushes when pulling weeds, so as not to damage the roots above. If the plant has grown too large, dig it up in the spring and divide the perennial with a spade.
Mulch instead of fertilizing
In order to provide the spring rose with sufficient nutrients, you should mulch the plant with decomposable materials in the fall. Are suitable:
- mature compost
- foliage layer
- straw
A combination of compost and leaves is ideal. First, a layer of compost is spread around the plants. The ground is then covered with a thin layer of leaves.
Mulching keeps the soil moisture constant. Weeds cannot germinate. The mulch material breaks down over the year, releasing nutrients that seep into the soil. This already secures the supply of nutrients for the coming year.
Do not use liquid fertilizers
The administration of liquid fertilizer is not recommended for spring roses. The fertilizer does not usually reach the roots that reach deep into the earth. Instead, it favors the plants growing nearby, which will harass the lentil rose and over time overgrow it.
tips
Like all types of hellebore, spring roses are poisonous in all parts of the plant. However, since the plant retracts in summer, the risk of poisoning is not very high. Gloves should be worn when caring for the perennials in spring and autumn.