A Knockout shrub rose is one of the best varieties rose for a beginner. It requires minimum care and will bloom from spring to the first hard frost. These 2 reasons alone make them one of the most popular roses.
Here are a few tips for caring for your Knockout Shrub Rose plants.
Planting: when you plant your shrub you will need to dig a hole around 18 to 24 inches deep. Put the plant in and fill the hole with organic medium and regular soil. Cover the plant up to the root collar. Then put aged manure or compost around the plant. You can also use wood bark mulch. Water well.
Ph: All roses prefer a slightly acid to neutral soil of 6.0 to 7.0 Ph. Most garden soils are around this Ph. It is easy to test your soil if you are not sure with a testing kit from your local nursery.
Medium: roses like organic medium. You can use compost or aged manure to fertilize them in the spring. For optimum growth you can plant your rose s in an organic mix of compost and garden soil. it is wise to use an organic mulch like wood bark to protect the plant from losing too much moisture during the summer season. You will be able to cut down weeds and keep the plant's roots from getting too hot if you have very hot summers in your area, when you do this.
Watering: your plant should be watered once a week during its active season. Do not use an overhead watering system as this will keep the leaves wet and encourage fungus and diseases. Try to water in the morning to allow the plant's leaves to dry off.
Sunlight: roses can get damaged by strong sunlight. Therefore it is best to water them in the morning. You should try to plant them in a spot that will get some shade in the afternoon. Planting them in an east facing bed is best.
Pruning: this should be done in early spring before the plant starts producing leaves. Cut out all the dad wood in the center of the plant. Also prune all braches that are touching each other, damaged or crisscrossing. In this way the plant will have good air circulation and you will be able to prevent diseases.
The knockout shrub rose is a very hardy variety of this plant. This makes it ideal for those who are new to gardening. When you take care of your plants with these basic tips you will be able to enjoy your roses for many years to come.
You can go to http://www.caringroses.com and learn more about the knockout shrub rose for your rose garden.
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