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Hello my DC friends, as most of you know I am a new gardener and I am pretty much trying everything I can in my townhouse mini yard. I bought a knock out rose last spring and planted it and since then I didn't do anything to it. Now I think is the time to give it some love and have it ready for the fall and winter. I have been reading different opinions on what to do with roses in the fall, so I figured you guys are the best to ask. Should I prune it now or wait? I want to plant more roses, is now a good time for this or should I wait till spring? Here is a pick of my rose.
I wait until spring to plant my roses, but I'm in a colder climate where we can get heavy snows and ice. I'd ask a local garden center what they recommend.
As for pruning, you don't need to prune knockouts unless they're growing to big or starting to touch your house. OTOH pruning won't hurt 'em I have 15 knockouts. Last year I pruned about 1/3, maybe even 1/2 off 8 of the plants in my front yard because we were expecting a heavy ice storm and I didn't want to have breakage. In the spring they shot right back up and are now as huge as they ever were (about 6 feet high and 5 feet wide). Meanwhile, I also have some knockouts in the backyard that I've never pruned, and they look just as good. The plants I did prune didn't seem to flower any more or less because of the pruning, FWIW.
I would keep dead heading down to the first five leaf to allow more roses. Honestly you could keep getting roses until December depending on the weather. Looks like you have lots of new growth still popping up. Fertilize with compost in late fall and heavy pruning in the dead of winter, early to mid Jan for most of the US.
Since it looks like the bush is in a confined space I would prune it for control. Cut it back heavy in the winter.
As a general rule, you can't kill Knockouts. We love them down here in Texas! They are one of the few roses that can take our summer heat & humidity and still thrive.
You can do shaping cuts at anytime if thats what you are talking about. You definately should be doing a bit of dead heading too. Cleaning up the dead blooms will promote another round of blooms before you weather turns to cold!
You can prune to 1/3 off in the fall, after blooming ends - always BEFORE the first frost, to promote new spring growth.
I don't know if where you are get's freeze and plants go dormant though.
You are in a transition zone like I am. It means that pruning them heavily now can result in new growth. Young growth is more easily damaged in cold snaps followed by warming, followed by cold again; typical winter weather for the mid south. Bulldogdad was right, leave the sturdy growth alone over the winter. If that dies over the winter you can cut it away anyway come spring and it will offer some protection to the inner and lower branches. All of my Knockouts have done well with cleaning and shaping throughout the summer months and a big pruning in the very early spring. Instead of relying on a calendar just keep an eye out on the local forsythia. As soon as they begin showing yellow it is time to prune the roses.
In the meantime clean up all the spent blossoms and hips that are there now, it'll look so much healthier, and you might still get an additional flush of blooms, especially if we have a few more days of warmer weather. My knockouts are still setting a few buds right now although a bit slower than a few weeks back.
If you want to get more roses to plant make sure you give them adequate room. This one is only a one year old and already looks crowded along the fence. Each of mine has gotten well over 5 feet high and at least 3 feet in diameter with pretty severe pruning. A crowded, sheltered rose bush will be more prone to disease, especially molds and fungi because there is no air movement to dry the leaves adequately.
You are in a transition zone like I am. It means that pruning them heavily now can result in new growth. Young growth is more easily damaged in cold snaps followed by warming, followed by cold again; typical winter weather for the mid south. Bulldogdad was right, leave the sturdy growth alone over the winter. If that dies over the winter you can cut it away anyway come spring and it will offer some protection to the inner and lower branches. All of my Knockouts have done well with cleaning and shaping throughout the summer months and a big pruning in the very early spring. Instead of relying on a calendar just keep an eye out on the local forsythia. As soon as they begin showing yellow it is time to prune the roses.
In the meantime clean up all the spent blossoms and hips that are there now, it'll look so much healthier, and you might still get an additional flush of blooms, especially if we have a few more days of warmer weather. My knockouts are still setting a few buds right now although a bit slower than a few weeks back.
If you want to get more roses to plant make sure you give them adequate room. This one is only a one year old and already looks crowded along the fence. Each of mine has gotten well over 5 feet high and at least 3 feet in diameter with pretty severe pruning. A crowded, sheltered rose bush will be more prone to disease, especially molds and fungi because there is no air movement to dry the leaves adequately.
Thank you guys, I am so impressed by the level of knowledge on this board, I wish if I can add more to your Rep but CD is not allowing me, must spread the love. I went out and dead head a bunch today and will do some more tomorrow. Yes it sure is big and I didn't expect it to get that way, I will need to keep it trimmed.
You are welcome (from me at least). Gardening can be a chore as much as it can be a joy but either way it is always a learning experience. I've been at it for a long time and have also spent some serious book and lecture time but sometimes new perspective can bring new knowledge. I'd be willing to bet that I will learn from you, too!
Oh gosh Bulldog if you keep this up people will talk!!
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