I Have Had Knock Out Roses For About Seven Years…
William Asked
I have had Knock Out roses for about seven years now. Is there an age limit on when they need to be replaced and do they have to be cut back every year? Also, do the old roses need to be snipped off?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, William: Knock Out roses are prolific bloomers and as far as roses go they are very low-maintenance. The only reason to replace your roses is if they are not healthy. Otherwise they will happily grow and bloom in your sun-loving garden for years and years. After giving them a year or two to get their roots settled and become established in your garden, they will benefit from an annual pruning. This should be done during the late winter or early spring while they are dormant and before bud break. The general rule is that you do not want to prune more than one-third of the size of the shrub. If they have not been pruned for several years and have become leggy, it is best to prune back one-third and then the following year another one-third until they are dense and lovely again. Annual pruning will encourage your roses to bloom as well as give them a more manicured appearance. Knock Out roses are considered to be self-cleaning: yes, just like your oven! After the roses are spent they will fall off on their own. Of course if you are a hands-on gardener and like the garden to be neat and tidy, by all means you can remove the spent blooms.
