Why Rose Buds Fall Off? 4 Fixes That Work

The current rapid growth period for roses is underway, and in warmer climates many roses have already produced buds. However, a common problem that comes along with this is bud shedding – some flower lovers find that the tiny buds fall off at the touch of a button and are unable to grow properly, let alone bloom. So why do rose buds fall off prematurely?

The four main reasons why rose buds fall off

1. Excessive Nitrogen Fertilizer

Spring is the season of rapid growth of roses, many flower lovers worry about the lack of nutrients, will apply fast-acting nitrogen fertilizer. However, it is important to note that nitrogen fertilizer mainly promotes the growth of branches and leaves, while phosphorus fertilizer is what helps flower bud differentiation. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, it may result in roses not being able to form buds, or even if buds grow, they will easily fade and fall off.

Solution:

• Use a balanced fertilizer (balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) during the growing period.
• After buds appear, switch to high-phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (e.g. flower-specific fertilizers or potassium dihydrogen phosphate) to promote bud development.
• Avoid using a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer during the bloom period, otherwise it will easily lead to deflowering.

2. Excessive phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in early stage

Too much nitrogen fertilizer can cause problems, but too much phosphorus and potassium fertilizer may also lead to bud loss. Some florists will apply large amounts of potassium phosphate when they first germinate in order to get roses to bloom as early as possible. However, roses still need more nitrogen fertilizer to support branching during the growing season. If there is too much potassium phosphate and not enough nitrogen fertilizer at this time, it may affect the absorption of calcium, resulting in rotten core, blind buds, or even bud shedding.

Solution:

• Avoid single fertilization and keep the nutrients balanced.
• The growing period is mainly balanced fertilizer, and then increase the proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer during the bud stage.

3. Insufficient light

Roses are light-loving plants, so if the bud stage encounters a long period of cloudy and rainy days, and there is a serious lack of light, the plant’s photosynthesis efficiency will be reduced, which may lead to nutritional deficiencies, and then lead to bud shedding.

Solution:

• Try to let roses receive at least 6 hours of light per day.
• In case of continuous cloudy and rainy days, foliar spraying of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be applied to enhance plant resistance.

4. Insufficient nutrient supply

If a rose has too many blooms, or if the plant has been in bloom for a long time, the smaller blooms may fall off due to lack of nutrients. This is because the blooms that bloom first consume a lot of nutrients, resulting in the subsequent blooms not receiving enough support.

Solution:

• Replenish fertilizers, especially phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, in a timely manner.
• Thin the buds appropriately to minimize nutrient competition and ensure healthy growth of the remaining buds.