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Tips for Care of Knockout Roses
More and more gardeners are planting Knockout roses in their gardens and yards. This youngest member of the rose familia is a simple-to-grow variety developed by Wisconsin Botanist and rose expert William Radler in his search for a low-maintenance, disease-resistant rose bush that can be grown in almost any landscape.
Beginning and seasoned gardeners are learning that caring for Knockout roses is simple enough for everyone, even the less-than obsessed weekend gardener. Rose experts praise the Knockout rose for being one of the longest-blooming flowers of any species. Still these hardy plants need certain amounts of nurturing care to remain healthy and happily fill the landscape with fragrance and color.
There are plenty of varieties of roses out there, and gardeners who are growing roses to cut and place in a vase are not going to choose Knockouts as their rose of choice. Knockout roses are better suited to be grown in a garden or other outdoor venue, as their hardiness and rounded shape are specifically designed for landscape enhancement.
Knockout roses do an excellent job of filling an outdoor landscape with a sturdy, repeat blooming plant. By crossing the Carefree Beauty rose with the Razzle Dazzle rose (both enduring varieties) Radler's Knockout was so successful when it hit the market 10 years ago it managed to win the 2000 All American Rose Award and grab the attention of the world of rose growers overnight. Today it is one of the most popular roses grown worldwide.
When you first bring your Knockout rose plant home, you can plan on a growth maximum of three-feet in diameter. The roses themselves are about three-inches in diameter, and bloom in crimson red. These gorgeous flowers will continue to bloom all season through to late fall. At the start of spring, prune them to between 12- and 18-inches; they will be two feet larger by midsummer. Be careful to avoid the foliage when you're watering your Knockouts. Water at the base only, and keep the foliage dry to avoid fungus spread.
Knockout roses must be pruned before new plant growth begins, and they need continuous pruning all through the growing season to stay manageable. Keep in mind though, when it comes to pruning the Knockout that means simply clipping off roving shoots to maintain the plant's shape. Knockouts are self-cleaning, so you don't have to worry about deadheading, with the exception of the occasional stubborn bloom that refuses to shed. Like all roses, Knockouts need direct sunlight at least six hours daily even though they flourish in light shade as well. Their soil needs to be nutrient rich and easily drained.
Since they are shrubs, Knockout roses go into full dormancy in winter, which means they appear as bare, unsightly twigs when it's cold outside. When you choose the spot to plant them, try to keep it close to winter vegetation like evergreens, which will camouflage the starkness of the hibernating Knockout.
Climate rated for zones 5 and south, layer mulch on after the first frost to protect the root system from extremely cold winter temperatures. If you have them in pots, take them inside during the coldest spells.
Knockout roses are the perfect answer to growing beautiful roses in your yard with little fuss.
