Peggy, add in shipping costs. Espoma is located in NJ. It costs a lot to get products from here to Oregon, and I'll bet that's the reason for the increased price. Are there local products with the same materials available?

Diane, out of curiosity, how much does a 20 pound bag of RoseTone cost where you are?
Actually no, there aren't locally made products (that I have found anyway), like RoseTone. I've taken to ordering Mills Magic Mix. Great stuff with free shipping right to my door.

Rosetone used to contain a good deal of synthetic fertilizer ingredients. Sometime in the past two years or so, it switched to a 100% organic formula and possibly this is the reason for the higher price. Are you sure you can get the new ingredients at your feed store?

Here is a link that might be useful: Rosetone label

I found Walmart had it the cheapest this year. I think I paid $10.00 for the bigger bags. But check the Hollytone because it's almost identical and for some reason always cheaper.

I can get the 36-lb. bags of Plant-Tone for $25 each at my local nursery. I don't think the roses know the difference.

There is only one place anywhere near here where I can get Rosetone, & that's a large home store similar to Lowe's. I suspect that's why the price is so high. Our Walmarts sure don't carry it. Sure wish I could get a 36lb bag for $25!!

Price seems to be more dependent on location although added fuel/shipping costs probably adds up. In Columbus, at Oakland Nursey, I can get the larger bag with the handle for $14.99. In the NW Ohio area, it's $18.99.

Canned tuna went from .57 to .63 in three years. Life is like that.

Peggy, I called my local nursery (who is rather large and also is a landscaping company) and negotiated a rate with them. Never hurts to ask for their 'best price'. I also buy in bulk for the season, because I have 300 roses. I use the Plant Tone on everything...clematis, hyrangeas, etc.

I've stopped using prepared fertilizer. I use alfalfa pellets ($12 for a 40 lb bag) and Black Kow ($5 for a 50 lb bag). I also use compost and shredded leaves that are free (except for my labor, of course).

"the price has jumped from around $16/large bag to $20"

We are frugal and have been making our own organic fertilizer forever. What we saw this spring was a doubling of ingredient costs from the Co-op. That you only had a price jump of 25% beats our nearly 50% rise.

The cost of fertilizer has made our neighbor farmers change their farming.

Peggy (sorry for the delay), at a local, independent hardware store, all of the "Tones" are $15.99 for 20 lbs.