Did I kill my knockout rose bush?

7 years ago

I fertilized my knockout rose bush. I didn't water the day before, fertilized the wrong time of day and when it was too hot. The bush is no longer blooming and I am guessing the roots are burned and the bushes are weakened.

Question: Should I resume fertilizing the proper way and if so will it start blooming again?

If the plant does not bloom for the remainder of the summer does that mean it will not bloom next year?

Your advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated

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Comments (4)

jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
If there is a chance you overfertilized I would hold off for awhile and just keep rose bush well watered... Most roses take a break from blooming for awhile so it may just be a normal happening...Esp young roses since they need to grow bigger roots etc....Extreme heat can cause a rose bush to cease blooming for awhile...

What is your general location? Thanks! Helps people be able to answer you better...
diane_nj 6b/7a
7 years ago
Is the plant still green? Then, it is still alive. Jim's right, extreme heat can cause roses to stop blooming. Also, it does take a few weeks for reblooms. Make sure that it is watered, and step away from the rose.
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Never fertilize a newly planted rose. Did you lose a lot of soil from the root ball when you planted it. If so, many of the feeder roots fell off with the soil. Your rose will take a while to grow new feeder roots. Until that happens, it can't take up sufficient moisture. Peat, unless it's saturated prior to mixing with the soil can pull moisture from the roots also. There are other organics that work better. Like Hoove said, it'll take awhile for your bush to adjust to it's new home. Keep it watered and don't try to fertilize it until it recovers and begins growing again. Meanwhile cut off the old flower buds so it can concentrate on making roots, not flowers. It needs a good root system to support good growth and blooms.
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Your blossoms faded ... because that's what they do. Blooms lasting two weeks is really pretty good. However, the nursery advised you correctly that you needed to move your plants so that they get more sun. The one thing that I found will kill a Knockout (though not in a few weeks) ... is lack of sun. When you transplanted them, you should have held off on the fertilizer. That's kind of like force-feeding someone when they already have stomach distress. But they should make it through, as long as you give them planty of water. Water will dilute the fertilizer, to some extent, and allow your plants to reestablish in their new locations. Also, because they're a little root-compromised right now, you may want to shield them from the sun during the hottest part of the day. Eventually, they'll be able to take it, ... but, probably, not now. BTW ... the Knockout is a real rose. They are spectacularly successful in the landscape, and provide color throughout the growing seasons. At some point, you might want to try a different, more traditional type of rose, but, in general, ... they not as easy. Enjoy your Knockouts. I certainly enjoy mine, and am thnking of getting a couple more, ... even though I have "real" roses, as well.
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Comments (2)
Right, don't fertilize until they have recovered and have put out plenty of leaves. Bloom Buster is the wrong kind of fertilizer--regular Miracle Gro or Miracle Gro for Roses is fine, or any reasonably balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 18-6-12. Watering correctly is the most important thing. Keep a 2" mulch of leaves or bark around the roses. When the soil under the mulch feels dry-ish, water thoroughly with 2-3 gallons for small plants or 5 gallons for larger, plus or minus for extremely hot or very mild, cloudy weather. Usually once a week is fine. For new plants, I divide the ration in half and water twice a week.
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Depending on how hot it is right now for you they may sulk for a bit but will eventually decide to grow. Pruning often stimulates roses into putting out new growth. So unless they are grafted and you cut the grafts off, which it doesn't sound at all like you did, they should be just fine! Keep them watered and maybe a shot of fertilizer and you'll have new blooms in no time!
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barbarag_happy
7 years ago
KnockOuts and other shrub roses bloom just fine with two feedings, one early in the season as soon as you see signs of growth and again about 4 weeks later. The timing of any fall feeding depends on your zone.

KnockOuts are typically on their own roots (not grafted to another rootstock). Since it gets so hot here (8a) so quickly, I usually use liquid fertilizer on my own-root roses the first year. I like organics (fish fertilizer, alfalfa tea etc) but have also used Mills Liquid feed.

As a rule, don't feed a stressed plant. Make sure it gets adequate water; water more frequently when weather is dry and windy. Mulch it well to keep the roots cool. I give all my roses a cold water shower during hot dry periods.
jacqueline9CA
7 years ago
DO NOT FEED IT - just water it. It will recover.

Jackie

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Did I kill my knockout rose bush?

Comments (4)

jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6

diane_nj 6b/7a

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barbarag_happy

jacqueline9CA

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