Welcome to My Little Corner of the World

Family, friends, and acquaintances are now free to stroll my gardens at their leisure. So grab a glass of sweet tea and sit a spell.

Questions, comments, and suggestions are appreciated and welcomed as you stroll through the gardens. Sure hope you enjoy your visit as much as I enjoy your company.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Knock-out Roses

The Knock-Out Rose is not one of my favorite roses; therefore I haven't done a lot of research on it. But it does make a pretty shrub - just not good for cutting. I do have some Knockouts and I take the spent bloom off immediately.

The purpose of deadheading is to re-direct energy used to ripen the current bloom to making new blooms instead. Therefore, if I want something to bloom continuously, I never allow spent blooms to stay on the plant. I get them off as soon as they start downhill.

As far as pruning - I'm 'assuming' that's a personal choice. I've seen them cut back almost to the ground then recover quickly in the spring, but I've also seen the left unpruned and put on a gorgeous show in spring.

Deadheading is one of my first tasks in the mornings. I get a pair of scissors or pruners, wrap a plastic bag over my left hand, grab my coffee and go 'strolling' in the gardens, cutting off every deadhead I see. I toss the bag in the garbage can or empty it over my compost pile - depending on which is closest.

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