Knock Out Roses are beautiful roses that continually bloom from spring until frost. Knock Out Roses are disease resistant and easy to grow in most parts of the country.
Warning: Propagating a Knock Out Rose is illegal because it’s patented. When shopping a nursery for roses, look for words such as PPAF (Plant Patent Applied For) on the label. Some older roses are not patented.
I love my disease resistant Knock Out Rose bush because these are the roses that bloom and bloom. My Knock Out Roses have only a faint scent, but it’s not a rose for cutting and bringing into the house. The Knock Out Roses are ideal for adding color to the landscape without any hassle. Reds and yellows look pretty next to Gaillardia while pinks look pretty in Pink butterfly gardens with pink Scarlet sage and pink crepe myrtle.
I planted a Red Knock Out Rose in front of my Little Gem Magnolia tree, and grow Lady Margaret passion vine on the fence behind it.
William Radler developed the hybrids known as the Knock Outs. In 2000, Radler’s red Knock Out shrub became a best-selling new rose on the market.
In 2007, Radler introduced the rainbow Knock Out which is pink with a yellow center. Some gardeners have felt the rainbow Knock Out is a disease magnet, but it has a nice scent.
The Conard-Plye company tests and analyzes Radler’s roses. Conard-Plye propagates Radler’s introductions and helps them become available for commercial sales.
I bought my red Knock Out Rose bush from Kerby’s Nursery in Seffner, Florida. Thousands of retailers carry Knock Out Roses.
No. 1: Dig a hole that is as deep as the container. The hole should be twice as wide as the root ball.
No. 2: Take the rose bush out of the container, pruning off any broken canes. Loosen the roots a little bit before placing in the hole.
No. 3: Use quality potting soil to fill the hole around the root ball.
No. 4: Press down on the soil around the plant, adding more soil if needed from the surrounding area.
No. 5: Thoroughly water the Knock Out Rose after planting. Mulch around the knock out rose bush, keeping the mulch several inches away from the center or canes.
Mulching the Knock Out Rose will help reduce weeds. I also plant Sunshine Mimosa near the Knock Out Roses, but am careful to pull up any Sunshine Mimosa groundcover that gets too close to the rose bush. I often see Knock Out Rose bushes grown in mass at the entrance to Florida master-planned communities. Knock Out Roses are breathtaking when viewed from a bit of a distance as a mass of color!
