Rose Rosette disease, how do I control it before it kills my knock out rose bushes?

The rose rosette virus is carried by mites. It can be transferred by their moving from an infected rose bush to a clean rose bush. Or, once in the area, it can be carried by the wind or other movement through the garden including animals and humans. Garden tools can also be a source of moving it from one rose bush to another. Once a rose bush has it, the best thing to do is to remove the bush, roots and any leaves on the ground from the garden. Be certain to bag it all, don’t compost any parts, and dispose. To prevent a rose bush from becoming infected, do a hard prune in late winter to remove the larger canes and reduce the area where the mite can overwinter. Apply an insecticidal soap in the summer months to help kill any mites. Following the recommendations in the Easy Elegance planting and care guide will help you grow healthy roses; viruses and insects often attack weaker shrubs. Also, remember that clean garden tools reduce the risk of spreading viruses from one plant to another.