Knock Out Roses, You Gotta Love ‘Em!!
The Knock Out Craze:What would we do without the Knock Out series of roses? These repeat blooming, highly disease resistant roses have become the mainstay of commercial and residential plantings all across the nation. It seems lately Bill Radler (the breeder of the Knockout series) has a color and flower type to match every landscape situation. The free-flowering nature of these roses allows us to enjoy roses without all the dead-heading to perpetuate the blooming cycle. Many, many years ago when people bought roses at their nursery we sold them a bottle of Funginex because of the disease problems associated with these ancient cultivars. Not so any more and we can thank Mr. Radler for bringing low maintenance rose culture to the masses. However no plant is completely maintenance free except for plastic ones, and even those you have to dust! So let’s talk about how to provide the best care for these roses and keep them stunning year round!
General Rose Care:While Knock Out Roses do not require pruning to keep them in bloom, they will bloom heavier if a light shear (2-3 inches) is applied to them through out the growing season. Reductions in size of the plant can be done in spring, fall and winter. Spring is best for a rejuvenation type pruning and any removal of dead or nonproductive canes. To increase bushiness cut the canes just above an inside bud, to increase width or size prune canes just above an outside bud. Roses are heavy nitrogen feeders and respond well to fertilization throughout the growing season. Fertilization should be timed with pruning to increase vigor, maintain leaf coloration and bloom count. A 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 fertilizer applied at ½ cup per bush around the root zone 2-3 times per year is a good nutritional program for most roses. Timing for the applications would be February, May and September in most areas of the state. Watch for aphids and thrips on new flower buds throughout the growing season, a neem oil spray works well for control.
Knock Out Rose Cultivars:Knock Out Rose: This is the one that started the craze back in 2000, our top selling rose and #2 in units sold next to Clara Hawthorn. Knock Out is a 3-4’ x 3-4’ bush, the flower clusters are a rich fluorescent red perched upon deep purplish green foliage. AVAILABLE NOW!
Double Knock Out Rose: This cultivar is a sister seedling of the original Knock Out. The double form is a little bit smaller in height and width but has double petal red flower clusters against the purplish green foliage. AVAILABLE NOW!
Pink Knock Out Rose: This cultivar is 3-4’ H x 4-5’ W and sports single hot pink flowers atop deep mossy green foliage. One of my favorites! AVAILABLE NOW!
Pink Double Knock Out Rose: Double Pink is a sport mutation of the Double Knock Out and is 3-4’ H x 3-4’W it has deep mossy green foliage with bubblegum pink double flowers. AVAILABLE MAY-JUNE 2009.
Blushing Knock Out: Blushing is a little bit more compact 2-3’ H x 3-4’ W and has mossy green foliage with blue hues. The single flowers start out as a light pink and fade to a soft shell pink. AVAILABLE NOW!
Sunny Knock Out: The name says it all! Yes a yellow flowering Knockout! This cultivar is more upright in form 4-5’H x 4’ W. The sunny yellow single flowers bloom heavily against the dark green glossy foliage. AVAILABLE MAY-JUNE.
White Out: This cultivar is by the same breeder as the Knock Out Series, but is not in the Knock Out series. The White Out has some great attributes including single white citrus smelling flowers atop dark green leaves on this compact shrub rose, 3’H x 3’ W. AVAILABLE JUNE-JULY.
For more information on Knock Out Roses go to www.StarRoses.com
Thank you for visiting www.creeksidenursery.com . Please contact your sales rep or call our office at 713-265-4300 for purchasing information.
