musiclvr56
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:22 pm
Location: boston

Deadheading Knockout Rose Bush

I have been deadheading this bush I bought last year by cutting under the hip, but read that you should cut above five leaves. The plant is looking great. I just bought three more at Home Depot and have two questions: can I continue to cut under the hip and should I fertilize-I don't believe I can get an accurate answer to find out if it was fertilized when I bought it. Do you think plants from Home Depot have been fertilized? I appreciate your responses to these questions. I have been gardening for seven years and still learning.

Thanks!
Karen

thanrose
Greener Thumb
Posts: 716
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:01 am
Location: Jacksonville, FLZone 9A

Any plant you just bought from a regular store (as opposed to a neighbor's yard sale) will have been fertilized recently. Do not add more, at least for the first month.

Deadheading is exactly what you are doing. The advice about five leaves is probably more general pruning. Not a bad idea for bushy growth. If you have roses blooming on branches with more than five sets of compound leaves, you can trim it back some. IF your stem had three sets of leaves before the blossom, you'd still want to deadhead to promote more blooming.

musiclvr56
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:22 pm
Location: boston

Thanks for the advice. It is very hot here in Boston and I am going to dig up mulch before it gets too hot. I will read your response carefully when I get home. Being still somewhat of a novice gardener, reading it quickly "goes over my head. I did use liquid fertilizer because Home Depot is not exactly your premium nursery.

Karen



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