Learn to grow the best Knock-Out Roses: A Beginner’s Guide
Rose fans, or should I say rose fanatics, love to experiment with new varieties of this beautiful flower. This act not only bestows a new look upon their garden but also enlightens them more about rose. One such variety to have caught the eyes of rose gardeners is the ‘Knockout Rose’. Being a trouble variety to grow and nurture, these are known for their versatility and hardiness. So, those who want to grow the roses, here’s a ‘complete guide to knockout roses’.
Introduction
Knockout rose was hybridized in 1999 by Willian Radler. Labeled as a floribunda rose, the plant of knockout rose grows to about 1.2m (approx. 4ft), taking a small bushy plant shape. Loosely formed semi double flowers of this plant fade from cheery-red to pink with aging. The plant bears several flower clusters having very little fragrance.
Knockout Roses are shade tolerant, versatile and are extremely resistant to mildew, diseases, black spot and rust. Further, this is a ‘self cleaning’ variety which means the flower petals fall clean, thereby reducing pruning efforts.
Planting Knockout Roses
You can grow knockout roses as a hedge or border, since they look great en masse. They don’t require much space and can also be grown in pots on decks and patios. Let’s discuss the step by step procedure to grow these roses.
Pre-Planting Preparation
Choose a location where they are exposed to sunlight for 5-6 hours every day. Inadequate sunlight causes growth of sparse foliage which further leads to more rose diseases. Next, ensure that the pH level of the soil is between 6 and 7. You can purchase easy to operate pH testing kits from your neighborhood hardware stores or nursery.
The drainage of water should also be checked to ensure no water logging is there. Prepare the soil by adding some milled and well composted rose planting compost or cow manure. Avoid rose food or fresh manure during initial growth stage since they tend to burn the budding fine root hairs.
Planting
To begin planting, dig a hole in the soil that is large enough to accommodate the root’s circumference. Prior to affixing the bare-root knockout rose, create a little mound at the hole’s base and place the rose carefully on that. Next, you have to gently backfill the soil and firm it down.
In case of a potted rose, a hole twice the width of the container/pot should be dug and the rose planted right in between the hole. The roots should not be visible above the soil level. If they do, gently remove the rose out of the pot, clip some fine feeder roots and put the plant back into its place carefully.
Give proper watering to the rose. You can also pour some liquid seaweed into the water can and feed it to the rose. This helps rose plants deal with transplant shock.
Pruning
Knock out roses don’t require much pruning. In the initial days, you can indulge in some deadheading to get rid of any worn-out flowers. Besides this, annual pruning is also recommended. The exact time for pruning depends on your geographical location and climate. People living in typically hotter regions, need to undertake pruning during late winters. While those in living colder locations can prune during early spring. Also, keep the younger canes while pruning.
This knowledge coupled with dedicated efforts can definitely produce winning results. Knockout roses have won various awards and they’ll certainly earn you some great compliments.
If you are a rose enthusiast then check out these great articles about where roses grow wild and other rose related information.
