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Friday, July 4, 2008

Knock out Roses

I have received an inquiry from a reader, in regards to Knock Out Roses.
I do not have any roses of any kind in my garden right now, but after reading that these are considered easy to grow, and that they are adaptable to full sun or partial shade, I am thinking of maybe adding some to my garden!

Check out this hedge! Now that would make the paper boy think twice before hopping over it! What a beautiful garden!

Knock Out roses were developed by William Radler, a Wisconsin botanist who was looking for a hardy, disease-resistant rose bush. Knock Out roses are a shrub rose bush that grows to about 3 feet in height and stays in a relatively tidy mound. Proper care will keep this rose bush blooming late into the fall.

Step1: Cut the Knock Out rose bush down to approximately 12 inches in early spring, using a handheld pruner.
Step2: Shape the Knock Out rose bush during the growing season. Keep the mound as rounded as possible. Trim any branches that are growing faster than others.
Step3: Remove faded blooms by deadheading to encourage new growth. Regular deadheading will keep the Knock Out rose bush blooming until late fall.
Step4: Water the Knock Out rose bush at the bottom of the shrub. Reducing the shrub's exposure to overhead watering prevents leaf spot and disease. Increase the watering frequency during dry weather. ( unless of course, you suspect aphids. In that case, a strong spray will evict the little squatters from their feast.)
Step5: Spread a layer of mulch around the Knock Out rose bush, taking care not to pile the mulch against the stems. Apply mulch approximately 3 inches thick. ( I do not mulch, but I water daily, so this is not going to be necessary)
Step6: Apply a fertilizer developed for rose bushes. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on fertilizing frequency. (I use Miracle Gro garden fertilizer weekly on my other roses, and they love it)
Step7: Ensure that the Knock Out rose bush is in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Roses placed in heavy soil may rot. (also see below for alternate locations)
Unlike most roses, KNOCK OUT will grow very well in part shade locations with excellent disease resistance. Water deeply and regularly (mornings are best). Avoid overhead watering. Good air circulation promotes vigorous and healthy growth and helps control foliar diseases. Summer mulch helps retain moisture, keeps roots cool and discourages weeds. Remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom. Crowns may need winter protection in cold winter areas such as St. Louis. Remove and destroy diseased leaves from plants, as necessary, and remove dead leaves from the ground around the plants both during the growing season and in the fall. Prune as needed in late winter to early spring.
Possible Problems:
Roses are susceptible to a large number of diseases, the most common of which are black spot, powdery mildew and rust.
Good cultural practices are the first line of defense in disease control, but regular preventative fungicide applications throughout the growing season are often required, especially if you are living in a humid climate with regular rainfall such as the St. Louis area.
The good news is that KNOCK OUT has excellent resistance to the these diseases, and often does not need regular fungicide treatments.
Potential insect problems include aphids, beetles, borers, scale, thrips, rose midges, leafhoppers and spider mites.
Roses like Knockouts and Carpet roses will take a break during the hottest days of summer.... nothing you do will start them up again so don't go crazy with the water.... you can, however, see that they have a regular fertilizer regimen, or use the slow release rose granule fertilizer.....then water normally and wait... the weather will ease up and they'll bloom again just fine.....(I suspect that this may be your problem Gollum, but since I am not sure of your location, I cannot be sure)
I do hope this information will help you figure it out! Be patient...as long as it is not brown and crunchy....you still have hope!

Until Next Time....Happy Gardening!

*)*)*) to those special three...Admitting your mistakes is not a sign of weakness but a sign of maturity.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com



17 comments:

Rattlebridge Farm said...

Oh, Tootsie, you are a gem and a genius. I can't thank you enough! My knockouts (front yard) are doing better than the ones in the back; but all they've received are sun and water. I didn't trim them in the spring, and the back yard hasn't been mulched. But the mulch is sitting on the cart. lol The minute I heard from you, I went to Home Depot and bought rose food. I usually clip them with kitchen scissors while I'm on the phone--bad, bad, bad! lol Last year I bought a knockout tree rose that came back this year. In my mind I could see the tree rose and lavender alternating along the retaining wall. That rose is doing well. Okay, I want Honey to read this column next. Thank you, Tootsie!!!!

Nancy Jane said...

A Knock Out rose,(Rosa 'Radrazz")' was the first thing planted at my new house! In the spring of 2006,
friends from North Carolina came to visit and brought it as a housewarming present because it was cold tolerant to zone 4. Unfortunately, our beds weren't put in until late that fall and the poor thing had to live in it's original container on our deck, then settle in quickly before a rough winter,but it still thrived until spring of 2007! Tent caterpillars attacked it with a vengance. The nasty critters also devastated my new sand cherry bushes,(prunus cistena), and our baby Donald Wyman crab apple tree, before I could bring myself to buy and use liquid Sevin. I did it as a last resort and very reluctantly. Last summer, Japanese beetles became a problem but the bush survived and again floursished. This spring she suffered caterpillar damage again because I hate using the Sevin and although I did it earlier, it was not early enough, and probably too light. I asked the local garden center for help, and they recommended Bayer Advanced all in one Rose and Flower care, and I have seen amazing results in just a few weeks. Healthy new growth is abundant and the bush is full of new buds. Advanced care is a systemic treatment, not a spray, and while I don't like appying anything, it seems better and safer than the liquid Sevin! I'll try to post pix tomorrow if it isn't raining. So glad to know that I can shape now, but I think I may wait until the new growth is a bit fuller. Thanks for the tips. I'll print them out...Nancy BTW: No signs of Japanese Beetles so far, and I should mention that the Knock Out is getting morning shade and then full sun from 1:00PM'till sunset! Thanks again Tootsie and Good Luck Gollum!

Life on the Edge said...

I just might have to try some of these knockout roses. My precious little yellow roses didnt last long at all, and the pink ones bloom for only a short time too, though they are spectacular in that time.

So glad you liked the chair! I'm not sitting in it now because it's airing on the deck overnight. Can't wait to get the boxes out of my formal living room so I can put it in there!

Kady

artis1111 said...

One of my friends has a lot of knock outs. She gave me a cutting. I has done well.Yhanks for the tips. I can use on it.Kathey

Lori Bee said...

I have 3 knock out roses planted out front in full sun and they are doing very well with no care...(I do not have Tootsie's green thumb.) Good luck! Lori :)

Bridget said...

Thanks to Gollum for asking and Tootsie for answering! I have had a lot of disease problems with the roses at my new house. I've never had these problems before! I live in a neighborhood called "The Rose Garden" so roses are a very important part of our landscaping! I'll be looking for some Knock Outs and I want to try the Bayer product that Nancy Jane mentioned! THANKS!

Anonymous said...

After seeing the pictures and reading your descriptions, Tootsie, I wonder if the rose hedges I've taken notice of this year in deep red or brilliant pink are knock-out roses. I've never seen so many beautiful rose hedges before! Something to keep in mind for next year's planting! Fieldstone/Pam

Anonymous said...

Girl.. you know I just planted a knock out rose... well Bailey helped so I won't take all the credit.. the little guy dug the hole for me... I'll have to rush out and see how it's doing today... Thanks for this wonderful info... and you truly are a jewel with all of your wonderful comments about the shop... hugs ~lynne~

Buffie said...

I'm still a novice at gardening and have wanted to try my hand at growing roses, these sound like something even I could grow! : )

Buffie said...

Question...If I'm using a grandular fertilizer, how often shoudl I use it? I use Osmocote...

Anonymous said...

I just got back into town and looked at your site and what an beautiful site. Those roses are incredible. Oh to dream. I have never had luck up here on the mesa with roses just valley people, thanks again for the beauty.
Kathi

Anonymous said...

Hey friend, I am at a friends home and wanted to let you know that I do not have internet service right now. Could you e-mail twiz and lynne and let them know. Thanks Also , I wanted to add that I loved this post. I have not gotten any of the knock out roses because I was waiting for a yellow, I was told that sunbright was a knock out from a differant grower and I would love it. I do like it, but it does not bloom as much as the knock out. But you may want to let others know that are like me waiting for the yellow. vickydarnell

Anonymous said...

Hi Tootsie Wootsie! I'm hearing lots about these roses and to me they remind me of the old fashioned cottage looking roses. These photos you have here are so pretty. Wish I had a little more space in the back to plant one. Maybe I could just squeeze one in.
You are the Mistress of all things plantwise!!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Allgrins said...

ooh I do love these Roses!
I have a question for you. I just found a gorgous antique arbor. I want to grow some type of ivy on it . I want it to have a tunnel effect. It is pretty long. Do you have any suggestions? I think I am in zone 5.
Thanks Tootsie!
Have a great evening!
Jamie

PAT said...

Hello Tootsie

We are home for a day before returning to the lake, so I am visiting today. We have Knock Outs on the wall beside the patio. They're about 4 years old. Amazing roses! They cascade over the wall and look great against the white stairs to the porch. No black spot or other problems. They continue to bloom throughout the season. We had a storm after the first blooming and it knocked them about a bit. Lots of wind and storms in Missouri, this year. They are coming back! Beautiful! We just planted Home Run roses in a front berm. We were told they are just as hardy as the KO's. We're watching them closely. The Home Runs are a true red. Our Knock Outs are the pink/red variety. Absolutely love them. There are several in our subdivision. All thriving nicely.

Have a great week!
Pat

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Tootsie, I have approx. 25 knock-out roses. They are awesome! And so.. easy to care for. You really should try them!!
Hugs, Terrie

imjacobsmom said...

Hey Tootsie!, I just got two new rose bushes for Mother's Day. They are from Bailey's Nursery and they were developed by the U of Minnesota. They are called Sven, Ole, and Lena. I got Sven and Ole. Lena was sold out. Ole is a bright pink and Sven has a sweet smell, too. (They are supposed to be winter hardy to zone 3. I believe.) So far they are beautiful!
But I have a suggestion for you - you should show everybody exactly how to deadhead different types of flowers like Verbena's and Pentas, etc. - Robyn