Roses for torts?

[spud's_mum]

Hi I bought a rose about a month ago and it's flowered! I remember reading that torts can eat the petals, is that true? Thanks

 

[lismar79]

It is but you should wait a year before feeding a store bought plant to him. Give the rose time to detox all the chemicals they use on them.

 

[spud's_mum]

The place I bought it from don't use chemicals but then nursery they came from before might have. I heard that you only feed the new growth if a shop bought plant, is this true? If so then that is new growth as it didn't even have buds when I got it

 

[DawnH]

What a beautiful rose! If it were me I would wait till these first blooms pass (cut those and put them on your table!) then feed the second blooms. I like to err on the side of "completely paranoid" though.

 

[Tom]

Rose flowers and leaves are good tortoise food, but most roses are grown with systemic pesticides. It takes up to a year for these to dissipate.

Personally, I'm not sure these plants are okay even after a year. I prefer to just grow my own from seed.