Should You Deadhead Knockout Roses? Your Question Answered Here

If you came here, you are probably a huge rose fan, as I myself am, and would love to know a little more about maintaining that beautiful knockout rose bush in your front yard.

Well, believe me, I was once in your shoes and had to learn a little more about this beautiful and very popular plant myself.

But let’s start by answering the question that we all have had at one point:

Should you deadhead knockout roses?

Should You Deadhead Knockout Roses?

Yes, you should deadhead your flowers. Knockout roses are self-cleaning, meaning that on their own they will remove the dead flowers. However, to see faster results, it is best to help them out by deadheading your knockout roses.

I know that may not be what some of you wanted to hear, so let me explain what benefits you will get by deadheading these roses.

Now I know some of you out there may be screaming at your computer screens right now thinking “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the knockout rose?” Well, let me explain.

Technically they don’t have to be deadheaded, but to get the most from your flowers, I recommend it, and here is why…

The benefits of deadheading your knockout roses.

First off, by taking a few minutes to cut off some of those deadheads, you will only be encouraging your knockout roses to bloom that much faster, meaning a plethora of beautiful blooms throughout the summer months, and if you’re fortunate, perhaps even into the beginning of autumn.

Yes, as I’ve already brought out, you don’t have to deadhead these blooms, and that is a reason that many people absolutely love them, but just because we don’t have to do something, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t, am I right?!

Take, for example, making your bed every morning. Now I know this may be a funny example but just go with me for a minute.

So we don’t have to make our bed each and every morning before we start our day, but wouldn’t you agree that when you take a little extra time, (we’re talking about 3 minutes or less here) to actually do it.

By doing so, you not only feel better that your room looks nice and tidy but when you come home after a long day on your feet, a warm, comfortable and certainly welcoming bed calls your name more than an unmade, disheveled pile of blankets and sheets all balled up? Am I right?!

Haha ok, so maybe that is not the best illustration, but you get my point.  Even though it may not be necessary, it usually always is worth it!

When you don’t take the time to deadhead these plants yourself, you will be dealing with a not-so-beautiful shrub, as the dead flower stalks will distract from the beautiful roses in bloom.

This is expected from any flowering plant, but it can be especially disappointing with a knockout rose, as you maybe weren’t expecting to have to wait so long to see a new bloom.

You may also enjoy reading: Feeding your Knockout Roses with the Best Fertilizer

What do I need to deadhead my roses?

So now that I personally would recommend deadheading your knockout rose, what can help you to get the job done right?

Let’s first talk about what you need (if you don’t have it already) to keep your roses blooming all summer long.

First off, I would suggest getting a pair of nitrile-coated gloves. I like these Showa Atlas NT370 Atlas Nitrile Garden Gloves, as many have raved about how great they are not only for gardening but for many other chores you may need to do around the house.

The reason they will work great with your knockout rose is that they have a special coating on the outside of the glove. This coating will help to protect your hands when working with your rose bush.

Also, you will need to have some pruning shears to get a good hold of those dead blooms. The Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears are a great option if you are in the market for a pair. They are heavy-duty but sharp enough to give you that clean cut every time.

And finally, it’s easy to forget to have something to throw those dead blooms into.

Some like to bring a paper bag out to their garden with them, or others may rake up those dead petals later on. I personally like to discard them in a bucket, where I can dispose of them then and there.

Whatever your preference, don’t forget to keep that yard looking neat and groomed.

How to deadhead your knockout rose

Now that we have what we need, how do we deadhead our knockout roses? Well, no worries, it’s really quite simple.

After putting on your gloves, find the departed bloom and while holding it in your left hand, (or right, depending on what’s easier for you) take your pruners and snip, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches below the dead flower.

You will be left with a few short, unnoticeable stem stubs which will eventually fall off on their own.

And while you’re at it, you may even choose to trim any roses that look as though they are on their last lap, ensuring a new full bloom will produce sooner, rather than later.

This leads us to the question:

How long will I have to wait until my roses rebloom?

While I can’t say an exact amount of time, I can assure you that you won’t have to wait a long time. As long as your knockout rose is healthy, you can expect some new beautiful roses in no time.

In fact, you may even see a new bud begin to form shortly after deadheading.

How frequently should I deadhead my knockout roses?

Well, this once again really is up to you. I will say that many recommend once a week. Therefore, you won’t be overwhelmed with cutting off too many dead roses at once, but with your help, the knockout will constantly be reproducing new blooms on its bush.

To see just how to deadhead your roses, check out the following video:

Final Thoughts…

So now that you know the benefits of deadheading your knockout roses, it’s really up to you as a gardener, as to whether to keep up with those deadheads or not.

Keep in mind though that while knockout roses will eventually take care of themselves, meaning they will get rid of those dead flowers on their own, they may not do it at a rate pleasing to you, especially if you’re a person like me who likes to get the most possible out of any of my purchases, but especially out of my beloved plants.

So, while there is no denying that they do live up to their name, an even more impressive feat is what they can produce with a little care and maintenance.

Do you deadhead your knockout roses? What benefits have you discovered? Share with me your thoughts in the comments below.