How to Plant KNOCK OUT® Roses
KNOCK OUT® roses are very popular not only for their beauty, but because they are the closest thing a gardener will likely find to a rose that wants nothing more than to be left alone. The KNOCK OUT® rose was originally bred by William Radler, a well-known rose gardener and breeder from Wisconsin. One of his KNOCK OUT® roses named “Radrazz,” was selected as an All American Rose winner in 2000.
KNOCK OUT® roses only require in the range of four to eight hours of sun every day.
This is considerably less than the eight to ten hours that many roses demand. They are quite hardy, surviving winter temperatures of -25 to -29 degrees Fahrenheit. You will want to mulch them over the winter months. One of the most appealing attributes of the KNOCK OUT® rose is that it is also not deterred by heat. In many places where roses wilt and pass away, such as the southern United States, the KNOCK OUT® rose bares no ill effects from heat.
When you are preparing to plant your KNOCK OUT® rose, choose a spot where it has plenty of room to grow and the soil is well-drained. An area that is very wet or tends to develop standing water after heavy rains is not a good spot for the rose. Prepare the soil with layers of organic matter and if you wish, you can apply rose fertilizer when you plant. Four inches of compost is just about the right amount to enrich the soil.
Your hole should be larger than the root ball by approximately six inches on all sides. Add fertilizer to the bottom of the hole but don’t allow it to touch the roots of the rose. Cover the fertilizer thoroughly with soil. You can also mix rose fertilizer with the dirt you removed from the hole. Use this mixed soil to fill in around the KNOCK OUT® rose.
KNOCK OUT® roses bloom on new growth so you can prune back your plant in the early spring before it starts to grow for the new year. It is normally cut back to around a foot to a foot and a half tall. Water the rose bush thoroughly at planting and then water by hand frequently until it is growing well. After that, it should not need special watering unless weather conditions are extremely dry.
Keep your KNOCK OUT® roses mulched throughout the year.
This also keeps the moisture in the soil for longer periods of time. There should be three to four inches of mulch in the summer and more in the winter if you live at the extreme cold end of the temperature spectrum.
The first KNOCK OUT® rose was raspberry-colored but new ones have been added over the last ten years. In addition to raspberry, and crimson reds, you can obtain KNOCK OUT® roses which range from almost pinkish white to dark pink. The yellow KNOCK OUT® roses are quite beautiful as well.
All KNOCK OUT® roses are virtually disease free and pest resistant. If you have had a fear of growing roses because of the amount of care they require, the KNOCK OUT® roses are perfect for you. They are hardy, resilient and practically care-free. Plus, you will be rewarded with abundant, continuous flowers from early summer to the fall.
You can’t go wrong with a KNOCK OUT® rose!