How to Plant Knock Out Rose Bushes

Knock Out roses are a hybrid rose variety available for purchase from a variety of retailers in various size plastic containers. Requiring much less care than a traditional rose bush, Knock Out roses grow into a compact-sized shrub that produces red or pink colored blooms. The planting process for Knock Out roses is similar to that of a traditional rose with soil amendment recommended if necessary at the time of planting.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Sand
• Humus
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Choose a sunny location for planting a Knock Out rose bush that will receive at least five to six hours of sunlight each day.

2. Dig a hole with a shovel that is twice as large and deep as the container in which the rose is purchased.

3. Add humus or peat moss to the soil in which the Knock Out rose will be planted if the soil seems damp. Add sand to the soil to help absorb excess moisture. Work the amendment into the soil thoroughly.

4. Remove the Knock Out rose from the plastic container. Place the rose in the center of the hole and adjust the plant height so that the knobby part of the stem just above the soil line, known as the bud union, is properly positioned. Refer to the planting instructions attached to the stem of the plant from the nursery for specific zone planting.

5. Back fill the hole around the Knock Out rose. Level the dirt with the top of the root-ball of the plant and tamp the dirt firmly by hand. Water the rose with a garden hose until the soil around the bush is damp.

References

• The Conrad Pyle Company: How to Plant a Knock Out Rose
• Rose Works: Knockout Roses