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You see the roses for sale bare root and bagged in the stores in the spring? With just a few short thick branches?
You cut them back so they look like that. Every spring. Seriously. Trust me. Your rose will quickly become a thick flower covered shrub and will crank put new roses all season long if you deadhead them religiously. Every time you deadhead, they will put out a new crop of flowers.
They are very heavy feeders. I use a food made for roses with a systemic in it. If you don't like to use insecticides, you can get rose food without the systemic. (I've had my soil tested)
If you get a lot of rain, watch carefully for mildew and spray immediately, if you see any.
If those are climbing roses, then just cut back to the basic framework of the plant. Leave your support branches, but cut the rest back hard.
I find roses to be the most satisfying of all my garden plants. They are on the short list of "most gorgeous" and they bloom all season long, requiring very little care.
OK. Great I'm going home to Philly Monday for the Flower show. I'll cut it back then.
As for the fertilizer.... how will the ROSE fertilizer (high phosphorous) affect the other plants planted in that same bed (within a foot or two)?
No negative effect.
Note:
Bloom busters are high in phosphorus and are also referred to as super phosphorus foods. They can increase flower yield and are used by exhibition and champion growers for bigger, brighter flowers. You can add phosphorus to the soil in organic compounds and natural formulations. Bone meal and rock phosphate are commonly used with roses and other blooming shrubs. Soils contain some naturally occurring phosphorus but the phosphorus is often leached out of soil by heavy watering and rains.
Knockouts can be cut back as hard as you like, or you can just leave them to grow into a large shrub. Last year, our winter was so warm, many of my Knockouts leafed out before I got around to pruning them, so I just let them be. Now they're over 5-ft tall and they looked beautiful last season. But I will prune them this spring -- my least favorite job in the garden. Ugh, I can't stand pruning roses!
I grab the long sleeve gloves and a pruner and away I go BUT, I have been tempted, oh so tempted to do what my friend does. Rose enthusiasts cover your eyes....
She gets a couple of throw away drop cloths and places them around the rose bush (using a clock as a reference) one on the left side of the clock from 6 - 12 and then the same on the right side. Then she revs up the hedge trimmers and trims like you would a hedge. She picks up the drop cloth and ties it in a knot and right into the trash bag and then repeats for the other side. She is done in far less time than it takes me and I must admit her roses are none the worse for the rough haircut.!!!
Knockouts can be cut back as hard as you like, or you can just leave them to grow into a large shrub. Last year, our winter was so warm, many of my Knockouts leafed out before I got around to pruning them, so I just let them be. Now they're over 5-ft tall and they looked beautiful last season. But I will prune them this spring -- my least favorite job in the garden. Ugh, I can't stand pruning roses!
Mine are on their way to an early bloom so I don't have the heart to prune them now. Those are some hardy plants, love them!
Cut off all dead branches. Remove any dead leaves that haven't fallen over winter with a broom. Clean debris from around the base with broom, small rake, or hose.
Among remaining branches, try to form a nice looking bush like a flower arrangement: kind of round or oval, higher in back, lower in front
Height is variable. If there are a lot of good branches, I'll make a tall bush. If there are a lot of dead branches, I'll make a short bush to force more new growth out from near the base.
I have never trimmed a bush to the ground, not even shorter than about two feet. But I would if I had a lot of dead branches
I don't use any fertilizer, insecticides, or fungicides. However, a couple of my rose varieties are prone to black spot (Peace), but I still get nice flowers from them. I also get some aphids, but they don't do too much damage (I think the Lady Bugs keep them in check?)
A nice soaking twice a week unless rain provides enough moisture. Try not to get the leaves wet and water early in the day
About once a week during growing season, trim off each dead flower. Trim about an inch above the first 5 leaf leaf-stem unless the branch is excessively long, then trim back further to form a nice bush (see #2)
I have about 50 bushes, some about 60 years old. Last year, some were as high as the eaves/gutters on the house! And plenty of flowers per bush. People stop just to look.
You can also start your own rose bushes. Trim off dead flower, stick branch in ground (two leaf stems below ground with leaves removed, two above with leaves still on), cover with canning-size jar, put a tile on top for shade, keep watered. I've started several rose bushes this way.
Selhars,
The two things I would do is trim off all the dead branches.
There are going to be alot, that is why the bush is not full.
Then, Add fresh mulch under the bush. Mulch is important.
Soon, after tax day, the rose will really start to leaf out.
Go buy some Rose Food from any store. Read the instructions.
There you go.
Water the bush in the morning when it is really hot. It will need it.
Roses love water and need it in the extreme heat June, July, August.
You will be happy this year with the rose.
Well, I trimed my knock outs, and reshaped them alittle. Looks alot better already and they're still just branches. I guess my next step, if like last yr, is to watch for the beetles. They made a mess of my roses, just invaded every inch.
You can also start your own rose bushes. Trim off dead flower, stick branch in ground (two leaf stems below ground with leaves removed, two above with leaves still on), cover with canning-size jar, put a tile on top for shade, keep watered. I've started several rose bushes this way.[/quote]
I didn't know that. Thanks
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