Care of Knock Out Roses

The care of Knock Out roses

Care of Knock Out Roses. These roses continually produce blooms all spring and throughout the fall seasons in the Southwest.  They are self-cleaning this means very little dead-heading.  The blooms are a bright candy apple red color. Plant them several in a row to make a gorgeous hedge or use them as a nice stand-alone plant in your backyard garden.

Did you know there are over 150 varieties of Roses and literally well over a thousand hybrids.  One of the hardiest is the KnockOut, Rose.

Knock Out roses do well in the southwest and somewhat drought tolerant. For one they are disease resistant and are easier to care for.  In warmer regions, they will retain most of their foliage but in colder climates, they are considered deciduous.

How tall will Knock Out Roses Grow?

These roses will grow up to 3-5 ft. tall and about 4 ft. wide Knockout roses can be planted in pots.  They will do well in a container with good loamy composted soil. It is recommended to water more often during the Southwest hot mid-summer months.  It is always best to fertilize them once per month starting in early March and ending just before winter sets in.

Pruning Knock Out Roses

You can trim knock-out roses around the same time you would take care of most other rose varieties, usually around Valentine’s Day. These roses are pretty low-maintenance and don’t require pruning unless your bush needs it, like if it’s looking overgrown or untidy. Knock Out Roses don’t usually need much dead-heading, which means removing spent blooms isn’t a big chore with these guys. Just focus on cutting away any dead or dying branches to keep the plant healthy. If you’re curious about cultivating roses in the Southwest, there are plenty of resources available to guide you through the best practices for your climate.

Roses for the Southwest.

Caring for Knock Out Roses

Keep your roses healthy by feeding them regularly.

1. Plants are like people a good healthy plant will be less susceptible to diseases and bug infestations.
2. Try Neem Oil organic spray.  The main ingredient contains neem oil seeds pressed from the fruits and seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). Read more about Neem Oil here. Make sure to saturate foliage and stems.
3. Spray organic Dormant oil in the early spring season.  The dormant oil will suffocate insect eggs thus preventing them from hatching.
4. Learn more about roses at Keeping Your Roses Healthy.