Sheryl asks about the Knockout Rose, and what it does. Well, Sheryl, the Knockout Rose is what they are calling the commercial rose. Unlike the Hybrid Tea traditional roses that get the infamous black spot on the leaves, the KO rose is designed to go in commercial applications where maintenance is low.

They bred the KO rose to be virtually maintenance free. It does not get the fungus, and does not have to be pruned to continue blooming. It will typically bloom from late April to about Thanksgiving, depending on where you live. It thrives in the full sun. It can get insects just like any plant can, but is easily controlled and will not kill the shrub, typically.

The maintenance with a KO rose is the same as a holly bush. Prune it when it gets too big or out of shape. I have actually used gas hedge shears to prune them in the past. That is unheard of for rose bushes.

What colors do they come in? Pure red, Pinky Red, Double Red, Pink, Blushing Pink, Rainbow Pink, Double Pink, Yellow, White. The pure red plant is called ‘Home Run’. It is only produced from Weeks Roses. The Yellow just came out last year and it is a bad plant. They are telling me that the bloom comes out yellow and about 6 hours later it turns to white. Very few growers are growing the yellow and it is hard to get. They are trying to breed a new yellow that will hold its color better…I will keep you informed.

The cost of them for a standard 3 gallon container will be (at my place) $19.99 to (Lowe’s) $24.99. The double blooms usually are about $5 bucks more.

Happy Rose Pickin’