Knockout Roses are Elegant

Most people when they think of a flower will think of a rose. Roses are common, traditional, and stunning flowering shrubs; however, they can be difficult to take care of. This is where knockout roses come in! Today we’re going to talk about knockout roses and how to care for them.

Knockout roses are so much easier than a traditional rose. They were designed to be more disease resistant. While they have less fragrance than a typical rose, this keeps insects away as well. There isn’t much need to deadhead knockout roses as they are considered “self-cleaning.” However, removing spent blossoms will give your rose bush a cleaner look. Knockout roses do not require as much pruning and are not as sensitive to heavy pruning.

Knockout roses need at least 6 hours of sun daily to reach their full bloom potential. After first planting, make sure the shrub is thoroughly watered. Hold off on fertilizer until the rose bush is established. When fertilizing, make sure that the soil is moist to avoid burning the roots. Use a rose-formulated fertilizer that can be found at any garden center or nursery. Do not fertilize in late summer as the rose is preparing to enter dormancy for winter. Start with a granular fertilizer for its first round in spring. You can use a water-soluble fertilizer weekly during its blooming season. When pruning knockout roses, wait until late winter or early spring when you start seeing new canes shoot up. Cut the bush back to about 1 foot high. The shrub will likely triple in size by the end of the season. Make sure to use clean tools to avoid and disease or fungus transmission.

You can have beautiful roses in your garden without the hassle! Knockouts are much -easier than traditional roses and bloom a lot longer. If you need help adding knockout roses to your garden, call Savannah Interior Plant Designs at 508-801-6015. We can help design, install, and maintain your plant space, whether it is at home or the office. As always, we strive towards creating a world of beauty.

Knockout Roses Quick Tips

• more disease and insect resistant than traditional roses

• come in a variety of styles, including double and petite

• 6+ hours of sun

• prune in early spring

• ALWAYS use clean utensils when cutting

• self-cleaning, aka self-deadheading

• stop fertilizing in late summer, start in spring after danger of frost