# First time pruning



## Jameshtx (Jul 28, 2019)

Got hibiscus and roses recently. Wondering if someone can tell me how to prune them correctly. This is my first time. Thanks


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## LA Basshole03 (Jan 17, 2019)

The knockout roses can be pruned at almost any time of year. Once it gets to a size you want start pruning to maintain it. Keep the middle thinned out so there is plenty of light and airflow to reduce disease pressure. You can reset them if they get out of control. I had one that was close to 8' that I cut down in the late winter to about 1' and it came back with some good growth and blooms in the spring.

Hibiscus can be cut back 1/3 in the early spring.


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## Jameshtx (Jul 28, 2019)

Thx but I'm still unsure on what to cut and where


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## Stellar P (Apr 13, 2018)

Jameshtx said:


> Thx but I'm still unsure on what to cut and where


You can cut off wilted flowers back to the next node. Cut on the flower side of the node. This is called "deadheading". Unless the it is a species that only flowers once, it'll promote additional flower budding. I know the knock out rose blooms multiple times, and I'm like 90% sure that the hibiscus does too.

You can cut back larger sections of the plant by cutting on the top side of nodes and promote additional branching.
Some plants are more receptive to aggressive pruning and will bounce back fine and thicken up nicely. I cannot speak for the Hibiscus, but you can get pretty aggressive with those knock out roses and they bounce back.

Below picture is an example of a node. They are not always this clear on perennials. When you go from 1 branch to multiple branches, that spot were the multiple branches come out is the node area.

Lopping off the ends of plants will send signals to plants to thicken up and become more dense rather than become leggy.
Lack of light can be another reason for leggy plants. They put all their resources to extend branches and find more light.

Late winter is the best time to prune. Remember you are creating an open wound on the plant. Less disease pressure in winter. Less pest pressure in winter. The plant stores fuel in the fall for the moment when Spring arrives and pushes all that new green growth with the resources it's been saving over winter. If it has a lot of new green growth on it, you'll be chopping off all this potential energy accepting growth. If that is the case, I'd wait a little later into spring to clean them up. That way they have a little time to restore their resources.





LA Basshole03 said:


> The knockout roses can be pruned at almost any time of year.


No joke! There is a bed on my commute that has about 25 of them in it and a crew will chop them down by over 50% all the time and sure enough i notice them back to the same size with 30 flowers each within the next few weeks.


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## LA Basshole03 (Jan 17, 2019)

I decided to dig one out last season and I guess I missed a root so it has been sending up a single shoot about three different times now.

https://www.knockoutroses.com/pruning

There's really no wrong way to do it for the knockout roses. Older traditional varieties needed special care when pruning to promote outward branching and provide airflow to the interior of the plant to prevent pest and disease.


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