If you love the sight of a bush full of roses in full bloom, the Knockout Rose is for you. With one bush, it will be like you have planted 3 types of roses that bloom at different times. Every six weeks or so, you’ll have another blooming cycle. And not just one or two blooms, either. Knockout roses are profuse bloomers, with the entire bush covered in gorgeous blooms.
They don’t require the all of the special care and attention that roses are famous for needing, either. They are extremely hardy so you get beautiful blooms from spring to the first frost without a lot of work. They have been bred to be resistant to the pests and diseases that normally plague rose bushes. They will survive quite well in both extremely hot and extremely cold situations that would ordinarily be a death sentence for your roses.
As with real estate, location matters. For most roses, you need a location that gets 8 to 10 hours of sun every day. Knockout Roses will thrive on as little as 4 or 5 hours of sun. They do still need some sun, so don’t try to put them in a shady area, but you do have more freedom than ever before about where you can grow them. If you have a spot where you’ve tried roses before, but they wouldn’t grow there, try a Knockout Rose in that spot.
Properly prepared soil is the key to getting them started right. All roses love organic matter in their soil and Knockout Roses are no different in this regard. Dig the hole larger than needed and mix in compost and dried manure for happy roses. Be sure to mix in some slow release fertilizer, and you’ll be set for the entire season.
Knockout Roses were bred to be self-cleaning. With most types of roses, you have to cut off the old blossoms in order to get new ones. If you don’t, they produce rose hip (seeds) and quit blooming for the year. But with Knockouts, they will drop the dead blossoms on their own. Of course, if you want to speed up the blooming cycle, you can always go ahead and cut off the old blooms without waiting for them to drop off naturally. This will help keep your roses in near constant bloom.
Another way to increase both the number and duration of blooms you get is to fertilize more often. Because the Knockout Roses bloom so much more frequently and abundantly than normal roses, they can benefit from extra fertilizer. It will give them an boost of energy in the middle of the hot summer. They will reward you with an extra burst of flowers.
Like all roses, Knockouts love water, so keep them well hydrated. A layer of mulch will help conserve the moisture in the soil and keep the dirt from splashing up on their leaves. Water early in the day so that the foliage has time to dry before nightfall.
While most gardeners love beautiful roses, beginners in particular love Knockout Roses because of how easy they are to grow. Pick the right spot, keep them watered and fed, and they will reward you with an abundant display of gorgeous flowers from early spring to the first frost.
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