I
have 6 Knock Out roses that were planted three years ago and keep getting
better every year without winter protection. That is until now. They do not look good and have lots of
brown leaves on them from last year.
Was 2007-2008 a harder Great Lakes winter on our plants? What can I do?
Winter
moved into our area quickly last fall.
I remember raking leaves in the morning and shoveling snow in the
afternoon. Then in January the
snow melted, temperatures dropped and the plants were unprotected until the
snow returned. This took its toll
on many of our normally hardy plants including hardy shrub roses. Fortunately
their roots usually survive such harsh conditions and the plants send up new
healthy growth. Start by pruning
off any dead wood. Some or all the
canes may need to be cut back to just above ground level. Dead stems are often discolored on the
outside and the inside of the cane is brown instead of a healthy white. My Knock Out rose took a beating a
couple years ago and had to be pruned back to several inches above ground
level. Happily they recovered
quickly and provided a summer of beautiful blooms.