I planted 9 Double Knockout Roses in an amended bed this past April; also added Osmocote. In late May, I added Rosetone. Six of them have doubled in size and bloom like crazy; three are not thriving like the others and are maybe half again their original size. They get the same watering, the same sun each day (full western exposure, no shade). Those three have some brown leaves. Since the three are next to each other, I'm wondering about something going on in the soil. Can anyone help me with the problem(s) and a solution? Many thanks.
Knockout Roses not thriving
I've had the exact same experience with the Knockouts, but only one of mine is a runt. Like your's, they are all in the same bed, same water, same food, etc. I don't know what's up with that one, but I'm pulling it out and replacing it. It's been in the bed over a year now and it consistently looks less full, more leggy and less blooms. Time and feeding didn't help it a bit. It doesn't appear to have desease or pest problems, it's just not as sturdy as the others and looks like a hole in the "hedge", so out it goes. I'm sorry to hear you had so many of the "bad" ones. I wonder what causes this?
Thanks for the response. I wish I knew what the cause is. I spoke to an employee of Callaway's and she said to dig down and see if the soil is too dry. Did that--soil seems no different from the rest of the bed. I bought them at Lowe's so I may return for a swap. On the other hand, perhaps I should give them a full year's growth opportunity and address it again in April. I don't have a "hole" look yet, but they are definitely smaller than the others, even with their blooms. Are you wishing you hadn't waited the year?
Since you have so many that are looking good in the same bed, I wouldn't wait the year. If the soil seems that same as the rest in the bed (if it doesn't seem like a too dry or too wet scenario that might cause the differences in growth).The fall is a good time to transplant things so I'd get them replaced now. Knockouts are so sturdy and robust that if some are puny looking I think they will probably always be that way.
I would not wait. I wish I'd replaced the scrawny one right away. Mine will get replaced within the next couple of weeks. I'm positive my problem isn't due to anything environmental, I think it's just a dud plant. I'm thinking of trying to dig out all the Black & Blue salvia that has totally taken over one bed and replace it with Knockouts too. I don't know if I'll ever get all that stuff out. I really hate that stuff and wish I'd never planted it.
OK, sounds like good advice. Now all I have to do is find my ticket and see if Lowe's will honor the replacements. If not, guess I'll swallow real hard and buy three more. Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. Oh, what is black and blue salvia?
Black & Blue salvia, also known as Salvia Guaranitica. I read about it in the gardener's colum in the Houston Chronicle and it said it was a good salvia for our area and had almost neon blue blooms. It is very pretty, but so invasive. It spreads like mint, by underground runners, and I don't think there's any way to eradicate it once it gets going. It has choked out everything else in a rather large bed, in spite of me whacking it back to the ground and pulling up all the runners I can. I hate it.
just a thought if you eat bananas ...take the peel and chop it up into pieces and spread it around the base on the ground of each plant.
my mother up in Illinois has been doing that with the one we sent her for her birthday from down here and she told me yesterday it is full of new growth so the potassium in the bananas or something in them sure does help them grow.