Best Fertilizers For Desert Rose Reviews and Growing Guide 2022

I, as a proud lawn owner, know what it feels like to see your beloved plants suffering. Adenium or desert rose is just another flowering plant we love dearly for its gorgeous and glorified blooms.

Desert rose can be grown indoors and outdoors and it doesn’t require strict watering and fertilizing to grow. A light and even fertilizing schedule is enough to keep this plant healthy. 

As the world has moved to winters, flowering plants like desert rose need some extra care (careful fertilizing and watering schedule) to survive the fog, chilly winds, and frost. 

Unfortunately, Desert rose is not lucky enough that the fertilizer manufacturing companies pay attention to the formulation of a specific desert rose fertilizer. 

So, we take aid from the general flower, trees, and shrub fertilizers. Since desert rose doesn’t need much fertilizing, to grow into a fine well-blooming plant, the all-purpose fertilizers are adequate to take care of the nutritional needs. Let’s discuss some all-purpose fertilizers that will help your desert rose to keep blooming throughout the year.

Contents

Best Fertilizer For Desert Rose

1. Scotts osmocote classic controlled-release fertilizer

Osmocote classic controlled-release fertilizer has been held on many lawn owners’ shelves these last few years because of its balanced and controlled nutrition supply. A tablespoon of osmocote controlled-release fertilizer is enough to feed the trees, shrubs, and plants for at least three to four months.

Multiple polymeric resins layered encapsulated nutrients let the water vapor penetrate the shell which in turn help in dissolving the nutrients into the soil.

Comes with different containers and in-ground application instructions. For container plants, a 1-gallon container needs 3 to 4 grams, a 2-gallon container 6 to 29 grams, a 3-gallon container 11 grams, a 5-gallon container 18 to 82 grams, and a 7-gallon container 26 to 117 grams. 

For In-ground plants and low maintenance trees, 2 to 9 pounds per cubic yard is enough to meet the three to four-month nutritional need. Can be used for the top dressing (one to two lbs per 100 square ft.) as well.

Pros

  • A tablespoon is enough to meet the nutritional need.
  • Controlled supply
  • Works for both container and in-ground plants
  • Comes with detailed application instructions 

Cons

  • Works slow

2. Jobe’s organics all-purpose slow-release plant food

This jobe’s organic creation is a three-month feed formula. A Balanced 3-3-3 formula is highly recommended for flowering plants like desert roses.

The unique proprietary blend does not just improve the soil condition but also help in reestablishing the stronger, unbreakable relationship between the plant roots and the soil. 

This slow-release fertilizer is equally useful for organic gardening. Contains no harmful chemicals. It can be used on the plants grown in public places as it is kids and pets safe.

Pros

  • Feeds up to three months
  • Contains no harmful chemicals
  • Pets and kids safe
  • Builds stronger roots
  • Improves soil
  • Safe to use, Organic

Cons

  • A general fertilizer 

3. Bio advanced all-in-one rose and flower care

Bio advanced all-in-one rose and flower care is a combination of fertilizer, insect, and disease control. It is being used not only to fulfill the nutritional requirements but also to produce disease resistance in roses and almost all flowering plants.

The insect control feature gives the nearly dead plants a break from Japanese beetles, caterpillars, aphids, and some other common insects. The fertilizing element promotes stronger roots and spectacular blooms.

It also aids in boosting disease resistance in plants that help them in fighting against black spot, powdery mildew, rust, southern blight, and other similar diseases.

Pros

  • Knocks out insects
  • Fertilizes and control diseases
  • Promotes stronger roots
  • Easy to use
  • No hard and fast application procedure

Cons

  • Not good for the edible crops

4. Miracle-gro shake ‘n feed rose and bloom plant food

The fairly priced Miracle-gro shake ‘n feed fertilizer is made to put several well-known expensive fertilizers brands to shame. It nourishes roots and promotes blooming.

Formulated with kelp, earthworm casting, feather meal, and bone meal. Kelp restores the plants with the help of cytokinins by improving the photosynthesis process, root, and shoots growth.

Earthworm casting improves the nutrient absorption process. Feather meal assists in decomposition and bone meal are rich in phosphorus and calcium that play a vital role in the plant’s growth.

Pros

  • One application is enough to feed up to good three months
  • Contains kelp, earthworm casting, feather and bone meal
  • Takes care of the healthy photosynthesis process
  • Promotes blooms
  • Nourishes roots and stems
  • No mixing required, works best when applied dry

Cons

  • High potassium content

5. Sun bulb better gro orchid better bloom water-soluble fertilizer

The cheap lesser-known sun bulb better gro fertilizer is a go-to option for those who want to feed their plants with urea-free fertilizer.

The thoughtfully combined formula has proven to improve blooming and blooming size. High phosphorus content ensures timely maturity and improved respiratory and other functions.

This is although an orchid fertilizer but the nutritional chart makes it equally beneficial for other flowering plants as well.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Promotes bountiful blooms
  • Shows immediate results
  • Ensures timely maturity
  • Safe, Urea-free
  • Cheap

Cons

  • Made for fulfilling orchids fertilizing requirements
  • Focuses on blooms

6. Osmocote plus smart-release indoor outdoor plant food

Osmocote plus smart release indoor and outdoor plant food is fortified with all essential nutrients plants need to grow and live a healthy prosperous life. 

The granular is uniquely quoted to keep the nutritional supply even and constant for at least five to six months. A scoopful of granular is enough to four square feet.

It releases more nutrients in active growing seasons. One bag is enough to meet the nutritional demands of the entire garden. The resealable fertilizer bag comes with a measuring plastic scoop.

Pros

  • One bags feeds the entire garden
  • Comes with a measuring scoop
  • Slow-release
  • Contains essential 11 nutrients 
  • Enough to feed up to six months
  • No burns

Cons

  • An all-purpose fertilizer

7. Dr. Earth total advantage of handcrafted organic fertilizer 

Dr. Earth’s total advantage handcrafted fertilizer is made to provide an ultimate solution to your plant’s problems. 

The probiotics action improves the plant’s resistance against drought and other environmental stresses. It also helps the plant in growing more productively.

This organic fertilizer shows a noticeable result in just two weeks. One bag is enough to fulfill the needs for up to several months. It does not contain GMOs, chicken manure, or sewage sludges.

Pros

  • Improves drought and disease resistance
  • Improves blooming
  • One bag feeds for up to several months
  • GMOs, chicken manure, and sewage free
  • Kids and pets safe
  • Organic
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Lesser-known
  • High phosphorus content

8. Jobe’s organics rose and flower granular plant food

Jobe’s organics rose and flower food is engineered to give remarkable support in almost all stages of plant growth (soil preparation, plantation, and growing season).

The balanced nitrogen and potassium formula help in producing amino acid that serves the plant as a health booster. The high phosphorus content introduces more bigger and beautiful flowers to the plant world.

Mycorrhizal fungi and archaea blend improves the soil condition, increases root mass, creates resistance against common diseases, insects, and droughts.

Besides desert roses and other similar flowering plants, this OMRI listed plant food is highly recommended for organic gardening. Safe to be used around kids and pets.

Pros

  • Biodegradeable
  • Bring disease, insect, and drought resistance to plant
  • Kids and pets safe
  • OMRI listed
  • Can be used at the time of soil preparation and plantation
  • Introduces more flowers
  • Improves flower sizing
  • Does not contain any synthetic chemical
  • Comes with a money-back guarantee 

Cons

  • No con came to notice yet

9. Burpee organic all-purpose granular plant food

Burpee organic all-purpose food is just another sure solution to your lawn problems. This granular plant food is a vital part of Burpee’s organic fertilizer series. 

It contains various microbes, some major and minor nutrients that help in the plant’s growth and establishment. This OMRI listed fertilizer is safer for the plant, pets, and people.

This granular plant can be used for the betterment of both flower and vegetable gardens. This lesser-known and seldom-used fertilizer have gathered several positive customer reviews.

Pros

  • OMRI listed
  • Organic
  • Safe to use
  • Cheap 
  • Contains all necessary minor and major nutrients 

Cons

  • Granular

These were the names that are doing a marvelous job in feeding and protecting the desert roses. But not all plant diseases and issues are because of the lack of nutrients, sometimes an incorrect or reckless watering schedule also ruins the plant’s health. 

So, in the case of a desert rose before making haste for fertilizers, I suggest you reconsider your watering schedule. Fixing the watering schedule will cut the issues to half. Once you have fixed the watering schedule it’s time to look for a fertilizer. To sustain the true beauty of your lawn, Let me help you with finding the right fertilizer for specific desert rose problems. 

How to find best fertilizer for desert rose

For fewer and dull blooms

For fewer and dull small-sized blooms a fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus would be an ideal option. And from the above-mentioned list, Miracle-gro shake ‘n feed rose and bloom plant food, Sun bulb better gro orchid better bloom water-soluble fertilizer promotes bigger and beautiful blooms. It is better for most of the bell-shaped flowers.

For exceptionally weaker desert roses

Exceptionally weaker desert roses are usually dying because of the lack of nutrients. In such a terrible situation, Bio advanced all-in-one rose and flower care, Jobe’s organics rose and flower granular plant food and Scotts osmocote classic controlled-release fertilizer would be promising options.

For weaker to dull desert roses

Weaker and dull desert roses need mild organic aid to bring out the best in them. To make the plant glow again Dr. Earth’s total advantage handcrafted organic fertilizer, Jobe’s organics rose and flower granular plant food, Burpee organic all-purposes granular plant food would be a great help.

For stronger roots

There are several rooting powders and fertilizers available in the market that helps in building stronger roots. For stronger root establishment no fertilizer from the above-mentioned list would help. You have to look for a fertilizer that is specifically made to build and establish roots.

What do you need to know about fertilizing desert rose

What do you need to know about fertilizing desert rose?

There are some hints you need to have to fertilize the desert rose properly. The hints are:

  •  November and June is the ideal time to fertilize Desert Rose plants. 
  • A fertilizer with high nitrogen content or a balanced formula is good for the job.
  • Organic, slow-release or continuous-release fertilizers should be your go-to choice.
  • If possible look for a 20-10-10 or 5-20-20 formula.
  • It’s better to avoid fertilizing desert rose in winter.

Winter is generally a slow growth season for desert roses so if they have stopped growing with their normal speed in winter, know that it’s not because of the lack of nutrients but the environmental factor is restricting growth.

Though all of these brands are tried and tested and have shown “really” good results. I would like to share a general fertilizer recommendation here as well.

As per a general assumption ( l don’t know exactly how true is that) bone meal fertilizers work great for desert roses. But what I know with an utmost surety is that bone meal fertilizers are rich in phosphorus and various needed nutrients that do an excellent job in growing healthier plants.

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Conclusion

I would suggest you avoid making your judgments, take a professional or experienced lawn or gardeners’ help to identify the problem. Once the problem is identified finding a solution won’t be a tiring task.

Before getting carried away by the impressive advertisement, reviews, and well-written descriptions, download the label and give it a thorough read. Once the product is home, follow the instructions to save you and your plants from disappointment.

I have listed several brands here for the betterment of desert rose but jobe’s organic and Miracle-Gro are my favorite brands for a variety of reasons. I have been using these brands for almost a decade and they have never disappointed me.

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