Pruning - Knock Out Roses

Knock Out Roses are a relatively easy to maintain plant in your landscape, but some care is required. To help revitalize your plant and encourage great performance this season, pruning is an important step. Not only will pruning your rose keep it neat and shapely, it will help with overall health and bloom quality. The perfect time to prune them is just as the buds are swelling up and getting ready to leaf out. Knock Outs are designed to grow vigorously around two feet per year. This is what helps give them their blooming power.

A pair of clean bypass pruners (those that cut like scissors) will be best for the job.  Pruners can be cleaned by using household cleaners such as Lysol to help reduce the spread of disease. Cut your rose back to about one foot from the ground by making an angled cut 1/4 inch above an outward facing leaf bud, facing away from the bud. Pruning the center slightly taller will help achieve a nice shape. If any branches are crossing, one of those branches should be removed. 

Pruning can be continued throughout the season to remove any diseased, damaged or dead material. Any pruning outside of these seasons will open up your plant to possible stress and disease.