You can still fertilize up a month before first frost. As for covering a large area, there are applicators that attach to a hose and mix the fertilizer with water.

I just sprinkle fertilizer around the beds, making sure to keep away from the crowns of the plants, and let rainfall water it in. Done.

in my z5 ....

it would depend on what fert .. absolutely no time release ... and it should be applied very sparingly ....

i used to collect roses years ago .. got up to 125 .. and fert'ed too heavy .. too late.. and killed about 40 of them once ...

a hyper-fertilized plant.. will go into lush vegetative growth.. at a point in time.. that it should be winding down.. and hardening off to a z5/6 fall/winter ... and when they do not harden off in late fall .. they rot ... rather than go to sleep ....

that said.. a little of this or that.. or a diluted foliar feeding should be a nice pick me up ..

just dont get carried away.. and think more is better .... and you can make up for something left out this summer ...

frankly.. if you have a moderately fertile soil.. you probably need nothing at all ... so dont get carried away .. they are not children.. and will not go 'hungry' ....

ken

stay away from nitrogen.. that is the root of the problem ..

look for a fert with numbers like this: 6-12-12

low nitro with a higher number for root growing ....

its the nitro that will force the fast late lush growth if too much is applied ...

i can get a 50 pound sack for about 15 bucks at the local feed lot store ...

ken