How to Take Care of Knock Out Roses in the Winter

When the end of summer approaches, the bloom time of easy-to-grow Knock Out roses nears its end. To have beautiful blossoms again in the spring, take a few steps after the last bud has bloomed for the season to protect the Knock Out roses during the winter months.

Instructions

- 1
  Snip off any dead Knock Out rose blooms that do not fall on their own after the last bloom of the season dies.
- 2
  Cover the ground around the roses with leaf or pine straw mulch to protect the roots from freezing during the cold winter. The roses are cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5. If you have any Knock Out roses in containers, move them inside to a garage, basement, screened porch or sunroom. A container does not give as much protection as the ground, so the Knock Out roses in containers could die if left outside.
- 3
  Cover the Knock Out roses with burlap bags or garden tarps to protect them when you expect a heavy snowfall.
- 4
  Prune the Knock Out roses at the end of winter to about one foot above the ground. They will grow three to four feet tall again in a few months.

When to Fertilize Knock Out Roses

Parts of the Rose Flower

Rose Garden