Pruning A Knockout Rose Bush

by Amy
(Wisconsin, USA)

Hi
A neighbor of mine let met get some cuttings off of an overgrown Knockout Rose Bush. I have never done this before...so heres what I did!.

I dug up the roots keeping as many as I could (one was just coming up out of the ground and one was where two vines had grown together and started rooting)I ended up with about 6 or 7 pieces.

I put them in a tub and with in 10 to 20 min I was home and planting them. They seem to be doing OK.

my question is.... some of the stems and leaves are dry and crusty and the other leaves seem to be just as fine as can be. My biggest one was about 2 foot wide and I planted it about 6 inches into the ground....no blooms it had buds started, the buds are droopy but the leaves are still mostly all healthy looking.

After being there a few days a family friend told me to go to my parents house and get some chicken poop and put on top. The stems and leaves look greener and healthier. What do you recommend that I do?? Prune the crusties off if so how far back do I need to cut.

Amy