Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Compassion Rose (Rosa 'Compassion')— schedule & NPK

Also called Compassion, Harquest.

More about compassion rose

About Compassion Rose

Rosa 'Compassion' · also called Compassion, Harquest · flowering

Compassion is an outstanding repeat-flowering climber bred by Harkness in 1972 and holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Its fully double, salmon-pink blooms flushed with apricot reach about 10 cm across and carry a strong, sweet fragrance. Upright and vigorous with glossy dark foliage and good disease resistance, it suits walls, arches and pillars.

Growth habit: Strong, upright and vigorous repeat-flowering climber with stiff, branching canes that train readily onto walls, arches and pillars; flowers in flushes from late spring through summer.

What fertiliser compassion rose actually wants — and why

Compassion Rose is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.

A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom.

For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for compassion rose: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.

How often to feed compassion rose, and which months

Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For compassion rose:

Feed with a balanced rose fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush, mulching annually with compost or rotted manure. Stop feeding in late summer so new wood hardens before winter. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — sparingly through the growing season — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when compassion rose is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.

What strength to mix for compassion rose

Follow the flowering-feed label rate for compassion rose, or half strength if feeding very frequently. These plants genuinely use the nutrients — under-feeding shows up fast as a thin display.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water compassion rose first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the compassion rose watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding compassion rose

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for compassion rose:

Lots of lush leaves but few flowers (too much nitrogen).
Scorched leaf edges and salt crust from too-strong or too-frequent feeds.
Soft, sappy growth prone to aphids and mildew.

Signs you are under-feeding compassion rose

Sparse, small, short-lived flowers and pale foliage.
A tired plant that stops blooming early in the season.
Weak growth and poor repeat-flowering after the first flush.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full compassion rose care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

Container-grown compassion rose accumulates feed salts fast with frequent feeding — water until it drains each time and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent scorch.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for compassion rose

Organic options

A liquid comfrey or seaweed feed (naturally potassium-rich) plus compost or well-rotted manure as a mulch. UK: comfrey feed, organic Tomorite, or rose feed; US: Espoma Rose-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Feeds and improves soil.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

A high-potash flowering feed on a regular cadence — UK: Tomorite (Levington), Phostrogen or a specialist rose feed; US: Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster or a rose food. Fast, reliable bloom response.

Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.

Fertilising compassion rose — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does compassion rose need?

A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom. Compassion Rose is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.

How often should I feed compassion rose?

Feed with a balanced rose fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush, mulching annually with compost or rotted manure. Stop feeding in late summer so new wood hardens before winter. Feed with a balanced rose fertiliser in early spring and again after the first flush, mulching annually with compost or rotted manure. Stop feeding in late summer so new wood hardens before winter. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — sparingly through the growing season — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.

What strength of feed for compassion rose?