Having a beautiful garden seems to be a universal desire for most of us! So when I meet with my clients and they describe that they want a beautiful yard that has lots of color but is low maintenance, the last plant they think about are roses. Most people hear roses and they immediately think high maintenance. Lots of special trimming at a specific time of year and special fertilizers. And yes, some roses do require additional maintenance, and there are several disease that one must check traditional roses for. However, the Knockout Roses are very different from your traditional rose. So I know the big question you have is why are they so different? Well they require…
…much less maintenance. And that is just for starts. Knock Out Roses were first introduced to the world in 2000. They were to be disease resistant, cold hardy, drought tolerant, and profuse bloomers.
They have pretty much lived up to the hype. They are cold hardy to zone 5 and they are drought and heat tolerant throughout the United States and they bloom from spring until frost. Like all plants they do need some maintenance for the best results. They should be pruned back in early spring, some people say about a third every year. Others say every three years cut them back a third. I trim mine early spring just to shape them up a bit and then trim a third back every three years. This seems to work for me and my roses.
There are several varieties that bloom from red to pale yellow, some have single blooms like mine and others have double blooms. Knock Out Roses grow to about 4' wide and 4' tall. They need full sun and do best if fertilized throughout the growing season. I love to use mine mixed in with my perennials. That way I have something blooming all the time. For the past several years I have used them in most of my commercial jobs because they are so hardy. Knock Out roses will provide continuous color season after season without having to plant annuals for impact. Another great thing about these roses is that you do not have to dead head the dying flowers. OK, so there are a few downsides to this plant. One is they are not deer proof. So if you use it in areas where deer are a problem use the roses where they are protected by fenced backyards. The other downside, of course, are the thorns! So try a few of these Knock Out Roses and watch how they add beauty and color to any garden without all the maintenance of traditional roses.
