Knockout Roses?
 

I think I must be working through some kind of potential for Midwest separation anxiety this morning. First - DIY projects - tile floors? And now this one:

Are Knockout Roses used in Florida landscaping?

When my area of the country is not cold and dreary, it is hot and humid. (We do get some spring and fall. I tend toward hyperbole.)

Knockouts are pretty amazing in our humid summers. It is a shrub rose so there is nothing hoity-toity or demanding about it. They bloom up until frost. In mid-March, I get to go out and hack them in half - at least, sometimes more. I can be like the Red Queen when I have pruning shears in my hands. During their blooming season, which is a really long one, the more you deadhead, the better they perform. But the best part of that is that you can choose to do nothing, and they still bloom their little heads off.

It is not a plant that I would want to have as a snowflake resident because they do require some attention to be at their absolute best. And they grow really fast. But these things can make a spectacular hedge without too much work.

-any Knockout Roses in TV?

(OK. I think I have asked enough questions for one morning.)

mustleavemyhousemustleavemyhousemustleavemyhousemu stleavemyhouse

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

I was at a nursery just yesterday near TV. Was told by the owner that the knockout roses do very well here. Also that they require very little care, are bug and disease resistant and flower abundantely. He also said that they would do just fine in our absence over the summer. We are definitely considering them for a hedge along the back of our house which gets full sun.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Boomer,

I have 2 small knockout rose "trees" in front of our entryway.... they've been here since May and have flowered continuosly...thru heat and cold. We had a nasty frost a few weeks back and it didn't faze the roses at all. Agree with what Nonie was told, they are disease and bug tolerant and need very little care.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Nonie,

Thank you.

If you choose to use them, don't let them put them too close together. They are fast growers. And I bet in Florida, they really take off.

The degree of being carefree pretty much depends upon the degree of how particular the gardener or the homeowner is. I have a big yard. I get comments on how good these things look from the road during their peak. (That's from a distance though.) They do take a little rest here and there throughout the season. But not for long. Deadheading gets the most bang for the buck.

I forgot to mention that they do have thorns.

Have you seen any of the nursery's installations of these? They would not be in bloom now I don't think, but the nursery might have pictures.

I also had wondered if they might be used in any of the common areas in TV. Considering how often they replace the landscaping in those, these things could work out beautifully. They would just yank them out during their long resting season I suppose. That does sound a little sad and expensive though, I guess.

The price for the original version has dropped from the time they first started on the market. I think plants go off-patent (or whatever it is called in the world of horticulture) like some other things do.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

V07,

After I posted my answer to Nonie about my life with Knockouts here, I looked back and saw your post.

I am so glad to hear that these plants are successful there. The "trees" you are talking about can be so gorgeous. It is a really great look for an entrance. And even if you wanted to deadhead once in awhile, it's not like you would have to spend your life doing it. How long is the blooming season? It sounds like it could be a really, really long one there.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Boomer,

Knockout Roses bloom all year long; they are used extensively around the Villages...as bushes, shrubs, and trees; I've seen them in some of the common areas too.

Here's what we did with them...the two "trees" just in front of the entryway walls:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...7/knockout.jpg

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

V07,

Wow!!!!!

Boomer

-and what is that plant around the corner? Is that a crepe myrtle?

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

We have knockout roses here in ARK with the heat and humidity. They are huge and like you said you can cut them way back or leave them alone and they just bloom until it gets really cold here around December. Nothing seems to bother them and they are easier to take care of than the other roses we have around the yard. Can't wait to get to Florida.

Waiting for retirement.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

I am adding this question to my Knockout Roses question rather than just starting another topic, even though this question is about hydrangeas.

I should have just titled this topic "Using Familiar Midwest Plants When Landscaping in Florida" - z-z-z-z-z-z-z.

I am successful with only one kind of hydrangea. That's Annabelle. Annabelle is the one with the big, white blooms that go all summer. I think hydrangeas may actually be southern plants. Are they used in TV?

I have been reading the posts about palm trees and citrus trees which I am excited to possibly have someday.

I am in the grip of cabin fever here, and to make matters worse, I have the table piled high with the :edit: tax stuff that I am supposed to be working on.

...so my mind is wandering to thoughts of things in bloom.

-any hydrangeas in TV?

Thanks.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Here's a very handy site for questions we all have or have had about what will grow here in Central Florida. www.floridata.com
It's a Univ of Fla site, and very throrough. Takes a little effort to find what you want, but not much! I pretty much learned early on that, if what I was asking about didn't seem to be on the site, then I'd probably be wise to NOT plant it! :)
SWR

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Swrinfla,

I looked at the site you shared. Thank you. I think it might be one of those I could spend way too much time on. It looks really good. :)

I cannot wait until spring arrives here. Keeping track of how I have felt about this gray winter has convinced me that we need to have a house in TV.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

I went back in this morning to pick up this topic that I started one dreary day a month or so ago. The reason I started it up again is for those of you who are interested in Knock Out Roses.

I just got a mailing from a local nursery announcing a new Knock Out for 2008. Its name is "Sunny" and it is, of course, yellow. Those of you who like to do a little color combining with your gardening know well that yellow makes pink pinker and pink makes yellow yellower (Is 'yellower' a word?). I am going to have to find a spot to stick in at least one of these new yellow Knock Outs among all the pink ones.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

WOW V7, can we trade houses? Yours is gorgeous!!! :bigthumbsup:

BBB .. just planted k.o. roses this week, nursery assured me they are "roses for dummies", grow year round, laugh at hard frosts, and require no work. If just half those claims are true, I love them already.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Barefoot,

'tis true. They just don't care what you don't do to or for them. If you deadhead some, they will bloom better. But they will continue to bloom, even if you don't do anything at all. (Well, maybe water if it gets super dry. But they don't care about that too soon either.) Mine take a short rest from time to time during the season, but it's never for long.

In another couple of weeks up here, I will go out into the yard and prune the heck out of mine. I get to grab the big shears and run outside shouting, "Off with their heads!" Actually, it's far more than their heads. I cut them off at the knees. - or even lower. It seems to make 'em happy. It's the "most wonderful time of the year" as far as I'm concerned.

They are my kind of plant.

Have fun.

-and V07, not only do I love the plantings, but your house is beautiful, and I also really like your sidewalk -- and your mulch. OK, now you all know how truly pathetic I am. I actually have strong likes and dislikes where my mulch is concerned.

Boomer

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

My landscaper planted knockout roses for me about 8 month ago they are blooming right now and have grown so much.My landscaper informed me of a easy way to maintain and trim them she said regular hedge trimmers electric or gas work great to trim them and keep them in a nice shape. They haven't quit blooming since she planted them in June

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Yep, absolutely right. And because it involves the use of power tools, Mr. Boomer likes to help with that part.

For the here and there deadheading with hand shears, it is my beloved Felco 2's. But you only have to do that part if you want to.

Two things to remember: Don't plant them too close together because they grow so fast. And don't forget that they have thorns. I wear leather gloves when I mess with them because they will mess with you back.

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

It is great to know about these beautiful bushes that almost take care of themselves!

Being a snowbird we are only here 3 months of the year. We are seriously considering planting them along the back of our house which gets full sun 3/4 of the day.

Is this going to be a little too long for them to survive on their own?

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Nonie, do you have a built-in irrigation system that comes on automatically? If so, that should be sufficient. Also, I think it rains a lot in the summer (looking at weather stats).
Apparently k.o. roses can take a lot of abuse and keep smiling.

I find the problem is not in getting stuff to grow, but in keeping it under control during our "snowbird" absence.

Sign me
Another newbie gardener

P.S. Just had 11 tons of rock delivered, gotta go watch the action!

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

I told the landscaper I wanted pretty much maintenance free. Occasional trimming is all i want to do. My sprinklers run once a week and my knockout roses are doing great the only thing I would worry about is how big they would get while your gone. I would maybe check with your Lawn guy or Landscaper and see if they do shrubs maintenance

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Nonie,

I am not sure about there in Florida. If they are not too close together, that should help with air circ and they won't crowd the heck out of each other. It does not take them long to create an informal hedge.

We had what was pretty close to a drought last summer and I think I only watered twice, decent slow soaks, early in the morning or late in the evening, at the roots, staying away from the leaves. It was a terrible summer for gardening. With Florida afternoon showers so often, they should find great happiness.

But honestly, I don't really know. I hope someone who has them there answers.

Boomer

Re: Knockout Roses?
 

Hi,

This is in response to queries I received about Sandra who did a presentation in the Garden Club.

There are no annual contracts for weeding - cost is $10 per month

Pest control is $20 per month

Pruning, trimming and clean up is billed at $40 per hour, but you are charged in 15 minute increments.

Fertilizer application is based on actual quantities used.

They all sell trees and plants. I found the cost of there plants lower than in some of the nurseries I visited while in TV.

Fernview Farm - Sandra and James Harrison
352 245 7905 email fernviewnursery@aol.com

Like I said, I was extremely impressed with her, They will be doing our lawn care while we are away.

I think she is lecturing at the Garden Club in Hacienda this November.

Hope this helps.

HB