Pruning roses is important to plant health because it encourages new growth and removes limbs to help prevent damage, disease, and bug infestation from destroying your rose bushes.
Different varieties require different methods of pruning at varying times of the year.
Pruning Knockouts is perhaps the easiest task in the entire garden as these plants are designed to be self-cleaning, meaning you don't have to dead-head spent blooms.
Like many other varieties of shrub roses, Knockout roses benefit from one heavy pruning in the spring.
This is particularly true after Knockout bushes have had at least one year to establish themselves.
Knockout roses should be given at least one year after planting before you prune them.
This time will allow the plant to develop a strong root system and overcome the shock and stress that is generally associated with transplanting.
After the bush is well-established, Knock outs can tolerate being cut back by about one-third of its original size.
They should be pruned in the spring, and cuts should be made just above new outward facing buds on canes which will be pruned.
Particular attention should be paid to limbs that are dead or damaged as these may cause major issues in your rose garden later in the season.
In addition to be unsightly in an otherwise beautiful display, dead and damaged canes pose a threat for disease and bug infestation.
Also, reducing the amount of limbs within a bush will boost air circulation, a second factor in lower the potential risk for unwanted diseases and insects.
Pruning your Knockout roses will also promote the new growth essential for dazzling blooms during the summer months.
 Unlike many other flowering plants, Knockouts do not require dead-heading to encourage repeat blooming.
Knockout rose bushes are designed to be self-cleaning and will continue to bloom with or without dead-heading.
Despite their self-cleaning nature, many rose gardeners opt to dead-head Knockout roses because they feel it gives the rose bush a well-maintained, clean look.
The choice is entirely personal and other than aesthetics, will not affect the plant either way.
While it is very easy, pruning Knockout roses is an important part of maintaining beautiful rose bushes.
 They  should be given at least one year to establish a strong root system prior to hard pruning.
After the first year, Knockout rose bushes should be pruned annually each spring to prevent disease and bug infestation and maintain a beautiful garden.
In addition to general maintenance and disease prevention, pruning Knockout rose bushes also gives you the opportunity to shape the bushes so they are more aesthetically pleasing.
The trademark self-cleaning design of Knockouts make dead-heading completely optional while still displaying continuous flowers all season.