Double Knock Outs - transplant and trim question

15 years ago

I have 4 Double Knock Out roses that have done great for the last 4 years. I have to move them because we are putting in an irrigation system and their spot will be dug up.

I have not gotten around to pruning them yet this year and was going to today until I thought:

Should I prune and transplant all in the same day, or will that be too much shock to them?

All of my other roses have just started to leave out, in the past week or so. Same with the knock outs.

Can you tell me how you would go about this?

Transplant and prune in the same day or just transplant and wait until they get comfortable in the new spot.

Any info is appreciated!

Thanks

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Comments (4)

michaelg
15 years ago
Pruning is not a shock to roses. Hack away.

Roses being transplanted during the growing season are usually cut back to reduce moisture loss through the leaves. It is hard to keep a good root ball because most of the roots are coarse and fleshy. So you should prune before transplanting.
roseman
15 years ago
I'm sure that many people don't know this because of the number of questions that are always posted about Knockouts/Double Knockouts, or any others in that family, but Knockouts are not like HTs or other roses. They are shrubs, and shrubs are never supposed to be pruned like you would a HT. You can cut them back a third, or shape them up, but prune - NO. Transplanting should not be a problem for them.
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In Mobile, roses will grow and bloom into December, so it's OK to prune them hard now. Because of the ugly bare legs, I would cut back to 2' and examine each cut end to see if it is alive. If so it will have a thin ring of green inner bark. Keep cutting the canes that are dead until you find healthy wood. Remove any twiggy branches, especially if dead. A rose can use at least 5 gallons of water per week in hot weather, or one inch of rain.. You may be watering enough to keep the grass green but not enough for the rose--or maybe the previous owners failed to water enough. When the rose starts growing out after pruning, fertilize it every two months. On the coast you may have sandy soil that doesn't hold water and nutrients well. If your area has root-knot nematodes, that can cause decline of roses unless grafted on Fortuniana rootstock.
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II would wait to give it any more fertilizer until after first bloom. In the meantime just keep it watered and let it grow roots.
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Probably the leaves are not turning, but new leaves are emerging with a purplish- or brownish-red color. This is normal with a majority of rose varieties. New growth is good and means more blooms are on the way.
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I just put in three. I have one original I just trimmed and that thing has the NASIEST thorns. Caught my back like fishhooks,had the durndest time getting away.OWCH!!!! The double is suppose to be better mannered als, mine have a few blossoms already.Good luck with yours!
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diane_nj 6b/7a
15 years ago
Inteseting, because we regularly cut the Knock Outs in the community beds here way back, 2/3 off. And they are back to 5' tall by mid-June.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
15 years ago
You are going to have to do a lot of talking to convince me that Knock Outs are *not* floribundas. They grow like floribundas, bloom like floribundas, winterkill like floribundas, quack like floribundas - you get the idea. This year they are going back to six inches due to winterkill. With plenty of water and fertilizer, they'll be fine.

Shrubs OTOH, don't require half that much work.

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Double Knock Outs - transplant and trim question

Comments (4)

michaelg

roseman

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mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

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