Question
I live in Wilmington N.C. " Hot summers " My roses are a year old and most look great. However some have become spindley and dropped there leaves. I pruned them back some and new growth has started to appear. I don't know how far back to cut them and how much I should fertilize.

Thanks for your help.

Answer
All roses begin to look ratty at this time of year because they are finally showing the stress of the hot weather. All you can do is keep watering them well and giving fertilizer at half strength when it is very hot. Knock Out roses don't need a lot of care and so in the spring just cutting them back by a third and then giving them a  handful of any type of rose fertilizer is really all that they need.