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Knock Out Rose Pruning #757420

Asked June 21, 2021, 10:58 AM EDT

My knock out roses are now extending into my walkway following heavy wind and rain storms. Should I use some kind of supports to hold them up? Can I cut them back? The main branches are quite heavy at the top. I pruned them about 25% at the beginning of the season.

Baltimore City County Maryland

Expert Response

If the bushes have lots of buds that you would like to see bloom, I would recommend staking them up.  This will also prevent them from blocking a part of the walkway.  However, if they have recently bloomed and new buds have not yet formed, I would recommend pruning them back about a foot, especially the top heavy branches.  In order to help prevent this from happening each year, you may want to prune them back more severely in the fall and then again in the spring in accordance with this helpful University Extension link:  https://extension.umd.edu/resource/guide-pruning-roses

Debbie

Thank you very much.  They are in bloom so I may decide to stake them.  I was unsure that I could prune them in the fall.  How late or early in the fall?
Rosalind
The Question Asker Replied June 22, 2021, 10:28 PM EDT

For the Baltimore area, we would recommend pruning between now and up to August 1st (so it's more accurate if we say late summer, rather than fall). Louisiana State has a more up-to-date and detailed description of how to prune Knockout roses. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/rbogren/articles/page<personal data hidden>69

Christa

Thank you so very much. I will use it.
R. Griffin


-----Original Message-----
From: Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
To: rozzg2 <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Fri, Jun 25, 2021 10:23 am
Subject: Re: Knock Out Rose Pruning (#0027351)

The Question Asker Replied June 28, 2021, 11:58 AM EDT

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