Do you like Knockout Roses and want them to bloom nicely in your garden? If so, then you must know the best time to prune them. Because gardening is all about perfect timing. Yeah, you heard it right!
Mind you, pruning is the most important step of gardening as it prevents the plant from getting attacked by diseases and helps them to bloom nicely. But do you know when to cut back Knockout Roses?
If not, then have no worries. Because here I’m going to answer this question straight away.
To put it simply, you can cut back Knockout Roses at any time of the year. However, it is preferable not to cut back roses heavily throughout the year. In most places, late winter or the beginning of spring is the best time for pruning roses.
Read on to know more about this topic!
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In the Different States Of the USA
One of the main concerns of gardeners in the US is- when to cut back Knockout Roses. Now, as the US is a country that has states situated in different hemispheres of the world, the weather varies in each state.
So, by now, you must have already guessed that pruning time varies from place to place depending on the weather.
In addition to the weather, you can know whether it is time to cut back or not by observing the plant of Knockout Roses. For example, new buds growing on the plant indicates that it is time to cut back the plant. Also, if you see the canes of your plant and notice new shoots are coming out from them, then it is time to prune them.
Now, as far as you are concerned about the size, you must know Knockout Roses are usually 3-4 feet in height. If you want your plant to have a measurement of 3–4′ w x 3–4′ h, you must cut back to 12 inches annually.
However, in the case of Petite Knockout Roses, you can cut back the height to 4-6 inches if you wish your plant not to grow more than 18 inches in height.
Let’s have a look at a list of some of the states of the USA, along with their time to prune-
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In Georgia
Are you a resident of Georgia and want to grow Knockout Roses in your garden? If so, then it is important to know the perfect time to prune the roses. Or the roses will not bloom in abundant amounts.
Now, let’s come to the main point without dodging around. As per the University of Georgia, late February is the perfect time to cut back the Knockout Roses.
However, as Georgia is one of the deep south states of the US, you can cut back Knockout Roses at any time of the year.
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In North Carolina
The time to prune or cut back Knockout Roses in North Carolina is not different from that of Georgia. What is the reason behind it? Well, as both the states belong to the same zone, that is, zone 7, they have the same pruning time.
That means that it is best to cut back the Knockout Roses in late February if you live in North Carolina. Moreover, it would be okay if you cut them back only once a year, and you can prune them as much as you can at a time.
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In Illinois
Now, you might wonder what is the best time to cut back Knockout Roses in Illinois. Not to worry! Because I am here to tell you accurate information that I got to know from the University of Illinois.
According to Nancy Kreith, the best time of the year to cut back on Knockout Roses in Illinois is the early Spring. By early spring, we mean the beginning of March.
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In Indiana
You must already know that the Knockout Roses are shrub roses. So, one of the basic characteristics of such roses is that they do not need extreme pruning. They would grow beautifully if you just prune them once a year.
Now, the question is, when is the right time to cut the Knockout Roses in Indiana? As roses need to recover from the winter damage, in Indiana, it is best to cut back Knockout Roses in Spring. So, cutting the damaged wood of the roses will help them to bloom without diseases.
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In Ohio
It is not unknown that Ohio is one of the coolest states in the US. So, when is the time to cut back Knockout Roses in a cold region like Ohio? In this case, the right time is in March.
When To Cut Back Knockout Roses In Kentucky
Being a southern state like Georgia and North Carolina, Kentucky is also suitable for cutting back on roses in late February. So, if you ask when is the best time of year to cut back Knockout roses in Kentucky, I would say the end of the winter season.
Now, Let’s Have a Look at This Video for a Better Understanding
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do you cut back Knockout Roses in the fall?
It is best not to cut back the Knockout Roses in the fall because the dormant phase of the winter is yet to begin. That means it is best to prune at the end of the winter to let the plant bloom healthily.
Can you cut Knockout Roses to the ground?
Unless the canes of the Knockout Roses are severely damaged, it is not necessary to cut them from the ground. It would be okay to cut back ½ (12 inches) of the plant’s total growth. Also, you can extend the cutting up to ⅓, which is 18 inches of the total growth.
Can you prune roses in October?
If you are living in the southern hemisphere, then you can prune roses in October as it is spring at that time. However, for the regions in the northern hemisphere, it is best not to prune in October as this time of the year in that region is the fall.
Final Words
Well, there you have it, people. Now we hope that you’ve got a clear understanding of this query of when to cut back Knockout Roses.
To wrap it all up, the cutback time of the Knockout Roses varies depending on the different regions of the USA. If you’ve read the article carefully, I’m confident that it will help you gain knowledge of the perfect time to prune roses.
On top of that, I have gathered all the information together, so you do not have to wander here and there.
Thank you so much for putting lots of patience and valuable time into reading this article. I hope you have a wonderful gardening experience!
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Often called Jason’s “better half” Shelley excels with her hands in the dirt. Growing up on a homestead in North Carolina gave Shelley a love for work and cultivation. Early in her career she cultivated minds inside a first grade classroom. Organic gardening has long been her passion and the internet age has allowed her to make it a side hustle. Shelley’s joy is made complete by sharing gardening tips with her friends, neighbors, and two grandsons.
