Documents: Special Interest: Roses:
Getting Your Roses Through the Winter
by Larry Hodgson
by Larry Hodgson

email: horticom@horticom.ca

Larry Hodgson has given hundreds of lectures on gardening throughout Canada and the United States.
All the lectures are given with Larry's typical touch of humor and are fully illustrated with beautiful color slides.

They are either in English or French, according to your needs.

Larry is also a member of the Garden Writers Association of America and has written many books.

November 2, 2003

Do you need to protect your roses this winter and, if so, how? Read on to discover what winter care they need in your region.

Depending on where you live and what kind of roses you grow, the time may be at hand to think of giving your roses a good dose of winter protection.

Shrub roses are perfectly hardy just about everywhere: you can simply leave them as they are in the fall, even allowing their bright red fruits to stay on the shrubs where they can attract birds and beautify your garden throughout much of the winter.

Hybrid tea roses, and their close cousins, floribundas and grandifloras, are however not quite so easy. South of zone 7 or, if you prefer, in climates where the ground rarely freezes more than on the surface, they won’t need any protection other than a good mulch of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) of soil or PREMIER PEAT MOSS. Just spread this mulch in a circle all around their base, to a width of about 1 foot (30 cm): this will help prevent frost heaval and root damage. You don’t even need to prune hybrids teas, floribundas, and grandifloras now other than to remove faded blooms: instead, wait until spring.

In cold winter climates, though, these roses need a little more care. Once they have undergone a few frosts and the ground has started to freeze, prune them back lightly, to about 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm): just enough so you can cover them with a rose cone. Make the cuts at a 30 degree angle, just above a bud directed out and away from the plant. And remove any leaves that still remain on the plant to prevent disease problems. Now, cover the root zone with a thick mulch of soil or PREMIER PEAT MOSS, as above, and cover the plants with a styrofoam rose cone. For even better protection in truly cold climates, fill the rose cone with insulating material, such as finely chopped leaves, sawdust, or PREMIER PEAT MOSS before you place it over your roses. To hold the cone in place, cover its base with soil and place a large stone or a brick on top: this will help keep the cone from being blown off in harsh winter winds. Finally, punch a few holes in the upper part of the cone to ensure good aeration and to prevent a buildup of humidity.

If you use winter protections of any sort for your roses, make sure you remove them early in the spring, when the soil begins to thaw out (in February or March in the South, March or April in the North). Remove them on a cloudy or even rainy day to prevent the roses from being exposed too rapidly to temperature changes and intense sun.

This article first appeared on the Premier Hort website.

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