Question
In Virginia Beach, Virginia, I have both lorepetalum and knockout roses (pink). They are getting very large and I would like to cut them back to more manageable sizes. How much can I cut back and when? The knockout roses were attacked by Japanese beetles in July so they look haggard. They are also flopping over following winds from tropical storm Ernesto.
Thank you.
Fran

Answer
Knockout roses don't have thick canes on them and they tend to bend over at the tops of the growth. This is a rose that benefts from being pruned hard every spring. The best way to prune this rose is in the spring before it starts to put out growth. Cut out all the twiggy type growth and leaving just the thickest canes and then cut back by a third. This will make the rose healthier and stronger. I know the books tell you that Knockout only grows to 3 feet but if it is treated well it can get to 5 feet.
Here is an interesting web page on Loropetalum
http://www.vickishome.com/0albums/gardening/gardeningLoropetalum.html