How to Keep Your Knock Out Roses Looking Great

Winter fertilization

• 1

  Mix 1 cup of superphosphate, 1 cup of cottonseed meal, 1/2 cup of epsom salts, 1/2 cup of fish meal and 1/2 cup of blood meal, and set aside. You can buy superphosphate and cottonseed meal at any home and garden supply store. Fish meal and blood meal are readily available at any pet or aquarium store, since they're used to feed fish.

• 2

  Water your rose bush generously with the garden hose.

• 3

  Distribute the fertilizer mix around the bush.

• 4

  Rake the fertilizer so it mixes with the top layer of soil.

• 5

  Water the rose bush again.

Spring pruning

• 6

  Snip any dead leaves, stems or blooms at a 45-degree angle with your garden shears.

• 7

  Cut any buds that face inward towards the plant. These will die from a lack of sunlight, and by snipping them, you will encourage outward-facing blooms.

• 8

  Cut any stems thinner than a pencil, to encourage larger stems to grow. This will make for a more voluminous, attractive rose bush.

• 9

  Remove all the dead debris you've cut from the rose bush.

• 10

  Apply a dot of white wood glue to the areas that you cut. This will seal the cut from invading parasites, insects and disease.