Knockout Rose Photos (iris, growing, fertilizing, crape)

[normie]

These aren't the greatest photos, but they might be helpful for people interested in knockout roses. I especially want to show how big these guys get!

This is a Single Pink, planted 3 years ago as an experiment. We wanted a rose bush by the front door, but that spot only gets 4 hours of sun at the most. Amazingly, the bush has thrived. Last year it was taller than my Husband (who's 6'2"). We gave it a major pruning, and that just made it all the healthier. It's about 4 1/2 feet tall right now, about 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep (we regularly trim it because it grows out over the steps).

I bought this rose at a clearance End of the Season sale 2 years ago. I guess it was probably already a year old at the time. It was labelled "Red, not RadRazz." Since I wasn't sure I'd like it, I put it on the side of the house, away from the others. It's glorious! A deep rich red. About 5 feet tall, and probably the most profuse flowering of all my knockouts.

Here we see three different roses. On the far right is a RadRazz I planted 2 years ago. It's about 4 feet high, about 5 feet wide and rambles all over the place. Nearby is a Blush that I planted this year. The Blush is already growing vigorously, and I think I may have put it too close to the RadRazz. I planted it about 4 feet from the main stem of the Rad Razz--thought it would be ok, but then the RadRazz grew like crazy.

It's kind of hard to see, but there's a Double Pink Knockout about 4 feet behind the Blush. I planted the Double Pink and the Blush at the same time, so this is a good example how some roses grow vigorously and some do not. Since then the Blush has doubled in size and is now almost 2 feet tall. The Double Pink is very healthy and has very nice blooms but has remained small (about 1 foot tall).

A few non-rose notes about this shot: Paperhouse, as you can see some of my marigolds rae already in flower. African marigolds are planted in the "bare" spots, they're just starting to fill in. I can't wait to see them, supposedly they grow to 3 feet high and are very dramatic.

This photo also shows a Tonto Crape Myrtle that is only just now starting to leaf out. So if your myrtle is slow to get leaves, take heart. Tonto fakes me out every year, but the leaves always appear sooner or later. Also, what a crazy year it's been for the Iris and Lilies--that section of the garden used to look empty, but this year everything grew like crazy and now it's at the point of being overcrowded.


Close up of the Double Pink. It's small, but very pretty. Next year it may grow like crazy. At least, I hope so.


This is Sunny Knockout. It's 2 years old. About 3 feet high, and 3 feet wide. The site is actually very sunny, I just happened to take this early today when it was shady. It's pretty compared to a lot of other plants, but not as spectacular as the other knockouts, IMO.

I also had a Rainbow, but it died this winter. I think a deer may have stepped on it. I wasn't too thrilled with the color of that rose, either so I haven't bothered to replace it.

And over head shot of several RadRazz bushes, showing the different sizes they can reach. Most of them were planted two years ago. Some of these bushes are symmetrical, some ramble all over the place.

[KsStorm]

Great pics~! mY MOM JUST BOUGHT SEVERAL OF THESE,& NOW YOU GOT ME WANTING SOME,TOO! Opps sorry hit caps lock!

[oberon_1]

normie, these are great looking roses! Are any of them fragrant?

[normie]

I hear the Sunny is, but I don't notice the fragrance if it is. I have allergies, though, so I don't always smell everything.

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by oberon_1

normie, these are great looking roses! Are any of them fragrant?

As Normie sad said the yellow is suppose to be the first fragrant. I just planted them within the month and have only had a few new blooms. I have not noticed any fragrance but I also have allergies. From what I have read a number of the strengths of this variety kick in with age.

[TuborgP]

My pink double knockouts from last year have taken off. I planted a new one this year and it is doing well and showing signs of wanting to take off. It has lots of new growth.

My basic fertilizer is Bayer what are other folks using? I am going to supplement that this year with additional fungus and insect control along with Miracle Grow Bloom Booster.

[normie]

Originally Posted by TuborgP

My pink double knockouts from last year have taken off. I planted a new one this year and it is doing well and showing signs of wanting to take off. It has lots of new growth.

That's encouraging to hear, can't wait to see if mine will grow like that. Post a photo if you can.

I'm not nearly as good as I should be about fertilizer. I try to make a really rich planting mix when I first put them in the ground, but after that I just use Osmocote or sometimes miracle grow. Maybe once or twice a year I'll sprinkle rose tone. I also put coffee grounds in the garden.

[WWWatchdog]

I use this copyrighted stuff from Walter Anderson Nursery in Poway, California called ADA PERRY'S

The roses practically sit up and beg when they see me coming home with a bag of it.

$25 a bag feeds 13 roses... but I cut it in half and feed 26. Use two to three bags a season.

I use it in both Los Angeles Valley AND the High Desert, WRONGWOOD, I mean Wrightwood, CA.

[paperhouse]

My yellow is very fragrant this year. I planted a 2 year old container grown plant last summer. Knockouts are heavy feeders. Fertilizing does help. So does pruning when dormant. I have mine in 4 hours of sun and they do great. Unfortunately, mine are on the same bloom cycle and seem to all lose their blooms at the same time. There are buds, but no open roses.

We had rainbows at the store until this past weekend. Took over a month to sell 25 while the reds, pinks, and yellows flew off the tables. Nobody liked the color or the spindly growth habit. Looked too old fashioned, IMO. I can see why you wouldn't bother replacing it. They shouldn't have released it.

[donalduckmoore]

YOur roses are so pretty. Do you use insecticides?