I have the small minature roses,do they need rose food too?

Answer 1

Yes, it's good to give them a systemic rose food. I have some miniatures that are 20 years old. I feed them with the systemic rose food about once a month in the summer. I quit feeding it about a month before the first freeze. I use granules which are worked into the soil around the base of the rose.

The fertilizer helps them bloom and resist aphids. It won't make them grow so much that it affects their miniature size. It just produces more foliage and flowers.

Answer 2

I like to use Whitney Rose Food 4-6-2 to promote flowering and general soil health. However any formulation that approximates a 1-2-1 ratio is a good choice.
Roses use more magnesium than other plant which is why rosarians recommend Sul-Po-Mag at 1 lbs/50 sq. ft. or Epsom Salts (Magnesium sulfate) at 1T/ gal of water. Use one quart per mini in April and again in late May. This helps them keep good color and fragrance. Although with minis fragrance is not usually an issue unless you have one of the Scentsation series.
Some growers like to feed 1/2 strength twice as often but it makes more sense to use organic fertilizers that break down slowly and keep a healthy soil biota (all the critters that live in the soil and keep pathogens at bay). Many studies have been done by Cornell and Ohio U to show plant health is directly linked to soil biota health.

Answer 3

Yes they do...