Yellowing Roses May Need Chelated Iron

Q. I was told I need chelated iron for my roses. So, per instructions I added the granulated type today.  How often do I do this?  It’s not mentioned on the label.

Yellowing and green veins the same on roses

A.  Chelated iron applied to the soil only needs to be done once every year.  The time of year to do this is now, during January and February.  This applies not just to roses but all landscape plants including fruit trees.

            Chelated iron applied to the leaves as a liquid spray may need three or four applications, a few days to a week apart, to be effective.  Chelated iron sprays are applied after leaves have emerged but avoided during the heat of the summer. 

Iron chelate EDDHA best choice for controlling iron problems.

            Once plants have begun growing in earnest, the single application of iron to the soil won’t do much.  At this point, multiple liquid applications to the leaves is the only way to correct iron deficiency, yellowing or chlorosis.

            The best iron chelate applied to the soil contains EDDHA in the active ingredients.  When applying chelated iron to the leaves, use distilled water when making the spray.  Avoid using tap water.  Include 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent per quart in the liquid spray mix to help move the iron move inside the leaves.  Add this liquid detergent at the very end so you don’t get a bunch of bubbles. 

This type of iron is available from Viragrow in Las Vegas for less than $20 for a 1 lb cannister. One pound goes a long way and can probably treat over 100 roses.