Double Knockout Roses

When it comes to disease and pest resistant rose types, the single petaled knockout cultivar leads the list. And a popular garden favorite is the newly developed hybrid, called double knockout roses. They have all the positive attributes of the previous one, and look more stunning with double petals. Perfect for any landscape design, they blend with seasonal flowers, perennial blooms and amongst other bushes. Or, you can grow double knockout rose plants in separate garden beds.

Growing Tips

Besides spectacular blooms and long bloom period, the popularity of double knockout roses is credited to other features, like maintenance free bushes, less disease infestations and no need for deadheading after the flowering period is over. Considering these, many avid gardeners replace landscaping shrubs with these roses for adding color to the yard. Coming to growing tips of double petaled knockout roses, they adapt well in USDA gardening zones 5-9.

Available in shades of pink and red, you can purchase healthy double knockout roses from your local nursery center. Similar to other varieties of knockout roses, they grow best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic (pH 5.6-6.8) and fertile soil. So, you need to prepare soil in a sunny or partial shade area to meet these requirements. If required, you can supplement organic fertilizer and farmyard compost to increase water holding capacity, and also, to provide sufficient nutrients to the rose plants.

After the last frost is over, make a hole that is two times larger than the actual root ball for growing roses. Mix organic soil formulation and manure with soil, and add in the hole. Make sure that the planting hole size matches with the root ball. Place the plant in it and add soil to cover the root. Follow the same planting steps for the remaining rose plants, leaving a space of 3 feet between two plants. Deeply water your newly planted double knockout roses for quick establishment to the soil.

Tending Instructions

There is no doubt that these roses are some of the most hardy ornamental plants. But, that doesn't mean that you plant and leave them on their own for flowering. In fact, these hardy rose varieties require some care level for healthy growth and flowering. For example, pruning rose is done to remove dead and diseased branches, and at the same time, control the shape and height of the plants. The following are some guidelines on how to care for double knockout roses.

Watering
With these varieties, the main rose plant care tip is to keep the soil moist at all times. As the newly planted roses cannot tolerate dry spells, you should never let the soil dry out completely between two watering sessions. Instead of watering from overhead position, irrigate the soil. Once the plants get established to the area, you can reduce the watering frequency.

Feeding
When grown in nutrient poor soil, supplementing the plants with a slow release, organic rose fertilizer is suggested once in a month. Nevertheless, if you have less time for double knockout roses care, reduce the feeding frequency. These shrubs and bushes can tolerate nutrient deficiency to some extent, and will continue to bloom in the flowering period, i.e., from spring to the arrival of the first frost.

Pruning
When allowed to grow naturally, these bushes develop to about 3-4 feet height and 3 feet wide. Hence, regular trimming of the weak twigs and one time pruning knockout roses are preferred for maintaining the spread of these plants. But, when to prune these roses? During spring or after the last frost, pruning these flowers to about 12-18 inches above the surface level is proceeded for heavy bloom production.

Winter Care
Protection of double knockout roses in winter is required, when grown in very cold regions. Regarding winter care for roses, stop feeding and allow the plants to remain in a dormant state. Preparation of these roses for cold winter frost involves planting them in leeward direction, or making a mound with straw (about 12 inches wide and 12 inches tall) around the base of the main stem. You can remove this straw mound in spring.

Indeed, the development of double knockout roses has really changed the impression about rose growing amongst hobbyists. Neither they require special care like other types of roses, nor do they need deadheading every year. What's more, they are resistant to powdery mildew, black spot, rust and other rose diseases Thus, planting roses and enjoying fragrant blooms are as easy as growing other hardy shrubs in the garden.