| Pruning roses is important to plant health because | | | | circulation, a second factor in lower the potential |
| it encourages new growth and removes limbs to | | | | risk for unwanted diseases and insects. Pruning |
| help prevent damage, disease, and bug infestation | | | | your Knockout roses will also promote the new |
| from destroying your rose bushes. Different | | | | growth essential for dazzling blooms during the |
| varieties require different methods of pruning at | | | | summer months. |
| varying times of the year. Pruning Knockouts is | | | | Unlike many other flowering plants, Knockouts |
| perhaps the easiest task in the entire garden as | | | | do not require dead-heading to encourage repeat |
| these plants are designed to be self-cleaning, | | | | blooming. Knockout rose bushes are designed to |
| meaning you don't have to dead-head spent | | | | be self-cleaning and will continue to bloom with or |
| blooms. Like many other varieties of shrub roses, | | | | without dead-heading. Despite their self-cleaning |
| Knockout roses benefit from one heavy pruning | | | | nature, many rose gardeners opt to dead-head |
| in the spring. This is particularly true after | | | | Knockout roses because they feel it gives the |
| Knockout bushes have had at least one year to | | | | rose bush a well-maintained, clean look. The choice |
| establish themselves. | | | | is entirely personal and other than aesthetics, will |
| Knockout roses should be given at least one year | | | | not affect the plant either way. |
| after planting before you prune them. This time | | | | While it is very easy, pruning Knockout roses is |
| will allow the plant to develop a strong root | | | | an important part of maintaining beautiful rose |
| system and overcome the shock and stress that | | | | bushes. They should be given at least one year |
| is generally associated with transplanting. After the | | | | to establish a strong root system prior to hard |
| bush is well-established, Knock outs can tolerate | | | | pruning. After the first year, Knockout rose |
| being cut back by about one-third of its original | | | | bushes should be pruned annually each spring to |
| size.They should be pruned in the spring, and cuts | | | | prevent disease and bug infestation and maintain a |
| should be made just above new outward facing | | | | beautiful garden. In addition to general |
| buds on canes which will be pruned. | | | | maintenance and disease prevention, pruning |
| Particular attention should be paid to limbs that are | | | | Knockout rose bushes also gives you the |
| dead or damaged as these may cause major | | | | opportunity to shape the bushes so they are |
| issues in your rose garden later in the season. In | | | | more aesthetically pleasing. The trademark |
| addition to be unsightly in an otherwise beautiful | | | | self-cleaning design of Knockouts make |
| display, dead and damaged canes pose a threat | | | | dead-heading completely optional while still |
| for disease and bug infestation. Also, reducing the | | | | displaying continuous flowers all season. |
| amount of limbs within a bush will boost air | | | | |