Is Composted Manure Good for Roses?

Your roses (Rosa spp.) may survive with skimpy amounts of water, weak light, arid soil and no fertilizer, but they won't thrive. But if you give them regular water, at least six hours of full sun daily and plenty of organic matter, such as composted manure, dug into the soil and spread on top of it, the roses will provide you with armfuls of flowers. Roses grow in all U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones, depending on the variety.


Composted manure is good for roses as long as it's properly aged. Aged manure is particularly good for roses when being planted, but it is also good to add as a fertilizer in the spring and fall.

Composted Manure for Roses

Using composted manure instead of raw manure protects your roses. With fresh manure, the heat generated from the chemical reactions that occur when nitrogen decomposes can actually burn the rose's roots.

Let the manure age in your compost pile for at least two months before using it for your roses, either dug into the soil before planting or spread as mulch in a 2-inch layer on the top of the soil. Composted manure provides a very good organic fertilizer for roses, according to Heirloom Roses.

Manure for Planting

Before you plant a rose bush, either the bare-root variety or one already growing, you should add plenty of organic matter into the soil. These include compost, ground bark or peat moss to provide both food for the rose and to help the soil drain.

When planting your rose bush, fill the bottom 6 inches of the hole with well-rotted manure, according to Heirloom Roses. Then mix the soil from the hole with mulch or peat moss, and refill the hole above the manure.

If you use rose food with composted manure, bone meal or feather meal, that will help break up soil that is compacted or full of clay, according to Bob Vila. This will make it easier for your rose to take in needed air, water and nutrients.

Benefits of Manure

A balanced rose food contains 6 percent nitrogen, 12 percent phosphorus and 6 percent potassium, according to the American Rose Society. Typically, a filler material such as sand or bark making up the difference. In other words, the fertilizer has a 1-2-1 ratio of nutrients.

Chicken manure has a 3- 2.5-1.5-ratio, and steer manure has a 1-1-1 ratio. Both types of manure have nutrients that benefit roses, but you need to supplement them with additional nutrients either separately or in a balanced formula.

Manure is the best compost for roses, according to Heirloom Roses, but when using manure on roses, you shouldn't use manure around the roots. Instead, work it into the top two inches of soil so that it can feed the roots. The best times of year to add compost around your rose are spring and fall.

Types of Manure

While all types of manure are good for roses, differences depend on the specific animal and the type of food an animal eats. Cow manure from stables that feed alfalfa hay can be very good for roses, according to Heirloom Roses. Poultry manure contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, while sheep manure contains higher potassium levels.

Moreover, the bedding that comes with manure from the field reduces the amount of nitrogen immediately available to your roses but does provide a longer-lasting effect, as it releases the nutrients more slowly, over months or even years.