According to George, Knock Out is extremely easy to grow, even for those brand new to gardening, and is so pest tolerant that almost never will pesticides need to be applied.

"Simply locate the plants where they will get good air movement over the leaves and receive eight hours or more of direct sun each day," said George. "Then incorporate three to four inches of finished compost into the soil prior to planting. Keep the soil surface covered with three inches of organic material year round."

"If someone tells me that roses are too hard or need too much care, I tell them that this rose was made just for them," said Pemberton. "This is one of the toughest roses I have ever grown, and it will reward the gardener with years of beauty with very little care."

The Texas Superstar effort is one of the Texas A&M system's most innovative and successful horticultural research and Extension programs, said George.

"Only the best adapted, highest performing and most pest-resistant plant materials are designated Texas Superstars, and should include the Texas Superstar pot label," he said.

Knock Out was also named an EarthKind rose by Texas A&M horticulturists this year. Only a few roses receive the EarthKind designation. Winners not only have to deliver outstanding landscape performance under widely varying soil conditions with minimal care and impact to the environment, but they have to be beautiful as well.

"A key component of both the EarthKind and Texas Superstar designations is that a rose's tolerance to pests is so great that you "will almost never have to apply harsh pesticides in the care of these roses," George said. "EarthKind and
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Contact: Jennifer Paul
j-paul@tamu.edu
972-952-9232
Texas A&M University - Agricultural Communications
6-Apr-2004