should i continue to feed my knockout rose over winter months?

Question

Should I continue to feed my knockout roses over winter months?

Answer 1

Hi bluelily,
I planted my first two knockout roses last spring and they are great! Good luck with yours though you won’t need it. They’re very easy. I fertilized my two bushes every 4-6 wks over the summer. I’ll continue to feed them up to,
but before, the first frost. Then I’ll quit feeding until spring. Hope this helps.
Have a great day! -Stargazer

Answer 2

No you do not want to feed the rosebushes over the winter months as they need the dormant time to rest up. Also if you are in a cold climate like I am, you do not want the rosebushes to be actively trying to grow when it gets real cold. It can kill them. I give my rosebushes a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate about now and mix it into the soils well. Then lightly water it in. It moves slowly through the soils and will give the root system something to feed on and keep strong over the winter, without promoting the upper growth. Here are a couple links to articles for you on this subject:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/roses-winter-care.htm

and

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/mounding-roses.htm