Knock Out Roses

shiningstar · ‎04-24-2010

Is it to late to cut back my roses?

gardensla · ‎03-09-2010

Where do you live?

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shiningstar · ‎04-24-2010

On 1/1/2015 gardensla said:
Where do you live?

North Carolina

Lori Kaye · ‎03-14-2010

My experience with Knock Out Roses is they are very hard to kill. I had one that was about 5 ft high by 4 ft wide. About 3 years ago my husband wanted to transplant it in December so he trimmed it down to nothing and I mean nothing!! I was in shock because all that was left of my beautiful bush was about a 1 ft. high twig. He transplanted it as well in December. We live in Virginia but it was a very cold winter that year. I was sure I would be replacing it in the Spring. To my surprise it came back as strong as ever and it is so big I have to trim it at least 3 times a year to keep it the size I want.

gardensla · ‎03-09-2010

Late winter or early spring is the better time for pruning roses, including "Knock Out" when the weather is less likely to spike high and low as it does now. If you need to prune because you're concerned about breakage to canes due to snow and ice, then go ahead, otherwise you might want to wait a month for a full-on pruning.

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JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

I agree with gardensla, wait till March or late March to do any pruning back of roses. At that time you can removed frost hit canes as well as canes that are too tall or too crowded in the rose's center.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

LonestarBabs · ‎06-26-2011

Actually, it's too early. Knockouts are to be cut back -- I call it "the whacking" -- around Valentine's Day. You can lightly trim for shape any time during the year, but the major pruning is always done in February around here. Don't touch them right now!

cotto22 · ‎03-09-2010

In Texas we do it around Valentine's Day, so I would think that you are early also.

tototwo · ‎03-09-2010

Yup, I wait till late March or early April here.

Be on the lookout for that nasty Rose Rosette virus that is attacking Knockouts - it's moving from the east to Midwest. There's no cure. I planted 20+ Knockouts thinking nothing could kill them -- I was wrong!

* A woman is like a tea bag. You can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. *
- Eleanor Roosevelt

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/20/2015 tototwo said:
Yup, I wait till late March or early April here.

Be on the lookout for that nasty Rose Rosette virus that is attacking Knockouts - it's moving from the east to Midwest. There's no cure. I planted 20+ Knockouts thinking nothing could kill them -- I was wrong!

It's attacking most roses-- characteristics of that disease is reddened stems with multiple prickles on the stems or canes. It can hit one side of the rose bush and not the other. Its a virus so there is NO CURE but to remove it entirely and be sure to get all of the roots too.I lost a 'Hot Cocoa' rose to this disease which affected the right side of the rose bush. Also another characteristic is that the rose flower is smaller than normal as are the leaves.

It's caused by a mite that has been on a wild rose and then blows onto your roses. The research so far is unsure if aphids are also a vector or do they carry the mites that transmit this disease?

Ann Peck is a leading researcher of this disease and this is her online article about the disease-- be sure to click on next page to keep seeing the article and great photos.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼