through fall? Hands down, the longest blooming period goes to the Knockout
Roses! Here in middle Tennessee, they start blooming around early April and
continue on to late fall. This past fall, my double reds continued with
blooms until Thanksgiving which was many weeks beyond hard frosts and
remained in leaf through early December.
Plant these gorgeous specimens in well drained, fertile soil in full sun.
With little attention, they will put on a spectacular show for months on
end. The Knockout Roses are smaller shrub plants maturing around 4 feet tall
with about a 3 foot width. They are easily maintained as an even smaller
size with regular shearing. Space the roses 3 to 4 feet apart for a dramatic
hedge. To keep maintenance to a minimum, prune them back anywhere from 6 to
12 inches above ground in late winter or early spring while dormant making
certain to prune out any broken or damaged branches. Mulch with organic
matter such as aged compost or aged manure mix. Spread the mulch at least 3
inches deep around the plant leaving a welled area at the immediate base of
the plant of around 3 to 4 inches wide so the mulch doesn't touch the bark
of the plant. Apply an organic fertilizer designed for roses as directed on
the label.
As with other roses and plants with thorns, deer are not really drawn to the
Knockout Roses, so they do make dazzling color in areas where deer may be a
problem. The Knockout Rose Family has shown great resistance to the most
common problems of other roses such as black spot, mildew and rust.
With 2 weeks until Valentine's Day, this week's gift suggestion is the
Knockout Rose Sampler. Our Knockout Rose Sampler consists of one Double Red
Knockout, one Double Pink Knockout and one Sunny Knockout at $56.95 which is
a $9.00 savings over individual costs. Book now and your Valentine will
receive a lovely hand written gift card alerting them to their gift and when
it will be arriving at their door. The perfect gift for the rose lover in
your family!
Week 3 on our Valentine's Day Countdown is our special Valentine's Gift
Certificates with week 4 being our popular Lavender Sampler.
New items are being added to our Monthly Value Page this week for the month
of February. Be sure to check them out. If you are looking for great new
perennials to add to your garden or landscape, you will want to take
advantage of these new specially priced items.
Visit Greenwood Nursery on YouTube. You will learn the basics of planting
container grown plants and tips for planting lavender and other herbs. As we
progress into spring, we will be adding more instructional videos.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GreenwoodNursery
Check us out on Facebook!
Until next time.....Cheryl
Questions? Email Cheryl at Cheryl@greenwoodnursery.com
