Feeding for flowers

[MrsWembley]

Second summer in a previously long neglected garden, been feeding up old shrubs and trees with blood, fish and bone.

Also used it around some new roses and one old one that was here when we moved. I have had one lot of flowers from these and no more.

And the same with my rosemary that went into the ground last autumn. Flowered once then spent the rest of the summer looking very pissed off.

Please don't say it's the weather - some of my neighbours have masses of flowers! What are they doing that I'm not?

Are the roses repeat flowering? Some varieties only flower once?
If it’s any consolation my climbers have only had one flush of flowers, alought some are in bud again, now.
My bush roses have repeatedly flowered, but not many blooms.

The rose that I inherited flowered constantly last year, right up until Christmas!

The others are new in, so I suppose I'm just being hopeful there.

It seems the previous owners were not really gardeners and planted shrubs for cover rather than colour. Maybe I'm just picking that up this year.

I think blood fish and bone is usually used when you plant initially as it encourages root growth and helps the plant to grow strong. You need a liquid feed to encourage flowering. I used a slow release feed this year but it wasnt very good so will go back to liquid feed next year - like tomorite.

Okay, that sounds plausible - you always see that put on planting instructions, don't you

What NPK ratio do you look for with your liquid feed?

My rosemary is over 30 years old and huge. It only ever flowers once each year. It is in flower for months though, but it is finished by mid July.

It has never had any fertiliser.

For flowering you need a balanced feed, not one that is high in nitrogen.Tomato fertiliser is good, but it is getting a bit late in the year for feeding things now, unless they are a late-flowering species.

Thanks

I know it's too late now, but I want to be ready for next year!