Can Knock Out Roses Be Planted in Pots?

Roses are successful in home gardens throughout the country and grow well in pots on patios and porches. Knock Out roses are hardy specimens that feature longer blooming seasons, better disease resistance and hardiness and even self-cleaning habits. Like all rose bushes, Knock Out roses grow well in pots with the right soil, placement and care.

Knock Out roses grow from 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, so they don't require large pots. Choose 10- to 15-gallon pots that are heavy enough to balance the bushes, which can become weighty with foliage and wood. Make sure that all pots have drainage holes to keep the bushes from sitting in water at any time.

Plant Knock Out roses in early spring, even if you're potting the bushes. Although you can plant container roses any time of year, spring plantings give the bushes a summer of natural light and warmth for establishment. Wait until the last frost lifts before potting to ensure warm starting temperatures.

Knock Out roses are hungry plants that require loose, moist and nutritious soil. A potted rose does best with a combination of half quality potting soil and half organic compost. Mix bone meal into the soil to encourage new root growth. Plant the Knock Out roses so that their crown junctions sit at soil level. Leave at least 1 inch of space between soil surface and pot rim for easy watering.

Put potted Knock Out roses in sites where they get full, all-day sun and good air movement. Water the potted roses every other day with 2 inches of water; these dry out more quickly than garden-planted roses. Feed the Knock Out roses with rose fertilizer once a month during the summer per fertilizer manufacturer directions. Potted plants use up soil nutrition more quickly than garden plants and suffer without regular feedings.