Winter Protection for Roses

Most modern roses grown in the require protection during winter months in most areas of the country. Rapid temperature changes and even brief freezes can injure and often kill unprotected roses. Getting the plants ready for the winter is also a good time to remove any diseased wood or foliage to prevent re-infection during the spring.

The first considerations need to be taken at the end of the growing season. The roses need to be kept well watered before the first freeze to keep adequate moisture at the roots. Make your last application of fertilizer to the plants no later than September in milder climates and August in colder ones. Allow the last blooms to remain on the plant to encourage the development of rose hips and place the bush into dormancy. Once this has occurred, you are to make the final preparations for winter.

Hilling or mounding soil around the base of each plant is an excellent way to protect bush roses. Begin by removing fallen leaves and other debris from around each plant. Removing and destroying diseased plant debris will help reduce disease problems next season. Then loosely tie the canes together with twine to prevent the canes from being whipped by strong winds. Extremely tall canes can be cut back to 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Next, mound soil from another part of the rose bed 10 to 12 inches high around the canes if you live in an area where temperatures can drop to or below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Place additional organic material, such as straw or leaves, over the mound of soil after the ground freezes. A small amount of soil placed over the straw or leaves should hold these materials in place.

Most modern climbing roses bloom on the previous season's growth. If extensive winter damage occurs, plants produce few if any flowers. To protect climbing roses, remove the canes from the trellis or support and carefully bend them to the ground. Hold the canes to the ground with pegs or stakes and then cover the canes with several inches of soil or compost. How much you use is proportionate to the temperature expected; the colder it gets, the more the plant needs to be covered.

Tree or standard roses are produced by bud-grafting the desired rose variety onto a tall stem. Since the cold-sensitive bud union may be 2 or 3 feet above the ground, tree roses are extremely vulnerable to winter injury or death. This type of rose is ultimately better suited for areas with mild winter climates. The first step is to decide which direction to lay the tree rose. Then loosen the soil in the opposite direction with a spade. Put the blade into the soil about 1 to 1 1/2 feet from the base of the stem. Then gently rock the spade back and forth to loosen the soil and free the roots. Loosen the soil in a semicircle around the plant. On the other side of the tree rose, dig a shallow trench and then carefully bend the trunk (stem) down to the ground. Peg the stem down with stakes. Finally, cover with several inches of soil. Tree roses growing in pots or other containers also need winter protection. Dig a trench in the garden, lay the potted tree rose in the trench, and cover with several inches of soil.

Even if you live in an area where the winter is usually mild, like Florida, do not be lulled into a false sense of security. Your roses will be at risk when that chance winter storm brings freezing rain your way. An unprepared rose bush will suffer damage and break if it was not at least pruned back before the onset of the winter months. If temperatures can drop to between zero degrees Fahrenheit and freezing, protect the root ball by adding a layer of compost around the base of the plant.