When and how do I prune my knock out rose bushes?
by
Kathy Parker
How much? They are 6' tall
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Depending on your plant zone, prune them in late winter/early spring. Here in Georgia, we trim in late February because our weather is going to get mild in March but if you live in a cold zone, you might be trimming them in April.
Cut them back half way. You can do a straight across cut, or round them if you have enough room between them. I planted mine in a row across the front of the house and they grew together like a hedge, so we just cut them straight across. My husband took a hedge trimmer and of course, had to pick up all the trimmings. If you only have one or two roses, you could hand trim but at 6 ' that would be really difficult. In hand trimming, you just clip the stem the way you want the new growth to go.
It is important the moon phase. It is better after full moon. Or wanning moon because the liquid retention of the trees... Let full moon phase passes and prune them without harm.