Yes, liquid tomato feed can be good for roses, specifically when used as a high potash liquid feed once buds begin to appear.
According to gardening guidance, while specialized rose liquid fertilizers are available, you can also use liquid tomato fertiliser diluted to half the strength recommended for tomatoes for container-grown roses when buds appear.
Using Tomato Feed for Roses
Liquid tomato feed is often recommended for flowering plants because it typically has a higher proportion of potassium (potash), which is beneficial for flower production. For roses, this high potash feed becomes particularly useful as the plant prepares to bloom.
Here's a breakdown based on the reference:
- When to Use: Switch to a high potash liquid feed (like diluted tomato feed) when rose buds start to appear.
- How to Use: Dilute the liquid tomato fertiliser to half the strength that is recommended on the product label for feeding tomatoes.
- Frequency (for container roses per reference): Feed container-grown roses fortnightly during this budding stage. (Note: The reference specifically mentions container-grown roses for the fortnightly frequency, but the dilution recommendation applies to using tomato feed on roses in general when used as a high potash feed).
Using tomato feed correctly can provide your roses with the necessary nutrients to support robust flowering, offering an alternative to specialized rose fertilizers.
