Knock Out Roses are truly a plant that lives up to its name; they are a knock out for several reasons. First off, they grow almost anywhere, all season long. Landscaping with Roses in Minnesota is always a treat, but when you can get them to bloom most of the season, with little to no maintenance, they are even better.
The Knock Out Rose comes in a variety of vibrant colors, blooms continuously, and requires no spraying. It can almost be considered a weed in some parts of the country, and cutting their blooms will only encourage it to grow more. For this reason, make sure that you plant your bush with enough room to spread out because it will fill out quickly the first year it is planted. The only real effort you need to apply is to prune it every once in a while, but this can be done with very little effort. The trick is to know when, and where to cut.
Anytime of the year, dead wood can be cut away, allowing for new growth to appear. However, if you want to cut way back in order to shape the bush, this should be done while the roses are dormant. This would be late winter, or early spring.
When pruning any plant, make sure your trimmer is sharp. Plants are living things, and will get infected if not treated right. A clean, quick cut is the one to make, and this can only be done with a sharp tool. Long, spindly stems that are searching for light can be cut away to thin out the inside of the bush. This will allow more light to reach the center, so that the bush can grow back thick and full again. Look for an outward facing bud or branch, and cut just below it, at a 45 degree angle. The angle will ensure that water will drain away and not sit and rot the limb if it should get too wet. Sealing the cut with a special paint that will prevent disease is also a good idea after any pruning, but the knock out rose really doesn’t require it.
It is not mandatory that you deadhead these blooms, as they will manage this process themselves. Deadhead is an expression used to remove the dead blooms so the new ones can come in. Some plants require this in order to maintain a full, lush growth, but the Knock Out Rose will come in whether this is done or not.
So if you are looking for the perfect rose, take a look at these. They are as the name says, a real Knock Out. Give our Minnesota Landscape Design Company a call to find out more about how to dress up your home. 952-292-7717
