Can I do my yearly early spring pruning of my knockout roses with some freezing days coming or wait a few days till it is warmer so as to avoid any damage? I am in Delaware and it is 3/17. Plants have new green on them already.
Spring pruning of knockout roses
- Thread starter udaman19
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Pruning plants actually helps them to survive a freeze better than leaving them sprouting and un-pruned.
I vote for pruning them. I have 5 Knock Out roses. I typically prune them 1 week after my average last frost date, which for me is usually last day in Feb. We may get other freezes after this date, but even when we do, this has never been any problem in terms of my Knock Out rosebush health and performance.
When is your average last frost date? The answer will determine when you are supposed to prune those roses.
I vote for pruning them. I have 5 Knock Out roses. I typically prune them 1 week after my average last frost date, which for me is usually last day in Feb. We may get other freezes after this date, but even when we do, this has never been any problem in terms of my Knock Out rosebush health and performance.
When is your average last frost date? The answer will determine when you are supposed to prune those roses.
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The idea of waiting is in the context of having the plant leaf back out tenderly only to get frost bit again. We have a last frost date of 3-30 but it would take a great deal of effort and energy for them to put out before we get past that date here. Thus I could prune mine and plan to this weekend. Especially since the neighbor's horse has moved to greener pastures. They are quite edible it turns out.