Carefree vs Knock outs? Carpet rose question

15 years ago

Are the Carefree roses as easy to care for as the KO's? Pros and cons of each? What about carpet roses? What alternatives are there which would be as easy care and bloom profusely? I'm interested in a yellow or yellow/pinky color. Thanks.

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Comments (2)

lynnette
15 years ago
From my experience, all these different roses start off with an excellent introduction , then they bring them out in different colours and the quality goes down. The colour yellow is the most tender of them all and usually the poorest. the best shrub rose in my garden is Bonica, good growth, no BS and even insects don't like it.
patricianat
15 years ago
I am not sure the question? Are you asking if the carpet roses are as good as Knockout? Or are you asking is Carefree Sunshine as good as Knockout?

If you are asking about carpet roses, the answer in the south would (for me) would be far different from Knockout. Carpet roses tend to have cercepspora, anthracnose, blackspot, botrytis blight, grow in a strange way like half-bush and half-creeper, wanna-be-climber, but ground halfcover. Knockout grows like a shrub, no disease, no deadheading.

If you are asking about Carefree Sunshine versus Knockout, then that is different. Carefree Sunshine is as healthy and carefree as Knockout. The yellow roses just keep coming day after day and though I have never seen any blackspot or other diseases with them, they have a more natural look than Knockout, in that their foliage is so apple green (as opposed to the dark emerald of Knockout) and blends perfectly with the sweet little yellow sunshiny flowers with the pretty reddish-orange eyelashes.
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A grouping does look good. I'd plant them into the garden now so the roots can get established. Even the hardiest roses can die the first winter if the roots have not had an opportunity to grow into the surrounding soil. August is a really hot dry time to transplant a potted rose. Unless you water regularly and deep you could lose them especially if the soil falls from the roots when you transplant. Nature size and planting distance is determined by your growing zone. Pruning can be easy. After each flush of bloom, allow the flowers to fade some. Use a pair of hedge clippers and remove the dead blooms along with a inch or so of cane to shape the bush. In a few weeks new buds will form along with new growth. You'll have more flowers within a month. Yearly pruning should be done in spring. Remove winter killed canes and dieback along with any damaged ones. Cut back as far as you want to shape the bush and keep it in bounds. As much as many rosarians complain about Knock Out being the only roses available in many garden centers, their ease of growing and hardiness encourages many to grow roses again. The desire to grow roses soon entices them to try other varieties.
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Carefree vs Knock outs? Carpet rose question

Comments (2)

lynnette

patricianat

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