Pruning Knockout Roses: A Complete Guide | NO GUESSWORK!

[@anthonygamble9155]

Heck, i talk to myself all the time. I am pretty interesting. 😊. Thanks for the video. Very helpful. Music is peaceful.

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching 😊

[@skrame01]

Thanks for explaining your reasons for what you are doing before cutting.

[@AtomicErika]

I found this very helpful. Thank you for making this!

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

So glad this was helpful! Thank you for watching and happy gardening! 🌹😊

[@FisherCatProductions]

If you truly want keep it simple, and keep your roses three to four feet high by the end of the season, trim them the way Knockout company suggests. Whack everything off 12 in high cutting just above and out facing facing bud. That should be about 5 or 6 cuts. Remove any of the DDD branches that are left that she suggests (there will be very few if you trim them this way each year). Takes about 2 minutes.

[@D1ego313]

This video is so informative and you teach it in a way that make me feel like you want me to do well, thanks mom 😂

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Thank you Diego! I appreciate the feedback, and I absolutely want all of you to have beautiful roses! 😊

[@ritabenson4901]

If you don’t use goat skin gloves, you’re wasting your money! They are truly amazing! I can even pick up blackberries bushes with my goatskin gloves! Pass this tip on!

[@payton8613]

thanks, very helpful. Should I put my compost on the roses after I prune them? I kind of like doing that right after I get all the dead leaves raked up from underneath, as a visual reminder that I am done with that bush. Or, is it better to wait on the compost until new leaves start pushing out on the rose stems?

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

What a great question! We typically amend/fertilize our roses when we are done pruning in the early spring, as it will encourage the new growth. Thank you for watching and happy gardening! 🌸

[@pagekohmetscher2409]

If you miss your pruning window(late winter/early spring) can you still prune your roses? It’s been a wild late winter and spring thus far and I have not gotten out to landscape at all. It’s early May in central Kansas… can I still prune back?

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Hi Page! We prune our roses here up until mid/late spring. If we are running behind, we will just take the dead off as well as last seasons spent blooms. Happy gardening!

[@FisherCatProductions]

You couldn't kill Knockout roses with a stick if you were trying to. If they have a lot of mature foliage starting to form that means they've used up a portion of their winter reserves making leaves. In that case, I would make sure to leave no less than half the foliage. Fertilize them as you normally would and keep them watered until they take off again and they will be fine

[@carolynn.trent.]

⁠@@FisherCatProductionsMy first year I cut to 12" and it was beautiful. Then three years in a row erratic temps meant I had leaves coming out but we were not past the last frost. Now it hasn't been pruned for three years. Part is starting to lean down the middle & last year I used green twine near the bottom to tie around and keep it from "falling" too open. This year, a few leaves are out but we aren't out of frost risk. I'm torn. Bite the bullet and take it to 12", or only take part? It's now over 5' tall in places. Leaves at the top third. If I wait much longer I'm going to be in the same position than I was in before. What do you recommend? I know this is a very hardy Rose. Winter has been milder than ever, I live in the southwest part of Virginia, and this week we have temperatures up to upper 60s. Maybe two nights that hit 25° low last week.. but overall most days have been in the 40s and above. 50s for a few weeks. Thank you in advance!

[@85sheena]

What zone are you in? Thanks

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Hi There! We are in zone 6b

[@joyces2222]

I prune, they die. Others say take down 6 to 12 inches. I have one younger rose, and will leave larger. Lets see.

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Oh no!! I always recommend 1/3 to 1/2 of the overall height. If the Rose hasn’t been pruned in a long time, then get it back to the desired height gradually (start with just 1/3 or less and keep on it each year). We also don’t prune them until they are at least a year or two old- just deadheading. Good luck and thank you for watching!

[@0010-n8q]

Half of your program is gone & you’re still just talking ?

[@downtoearthgardeninganddesign]

Thank you for pointing this out- we reviewed the video and it seems to be playing just fine. Can you give more specifics if this continues for you?