Now’s the Time to Put Roses to Bed

Whether you’re growing hybrid teas, heirlooms, floribundas, shrub roses or climbers, all roses will benefit from some attention this time of year. Preparing your roses for winter includes some light pruning, a thorough clean-up, deep watering and adding mulch. Doing these tasks now will help ensure healthier, more productive roses next spring. Begin with a light pruning. For floribundas and hybrid teas, this involves removing any damaged or diseased canes and any canes that have experienced excess growth. These canes need to be cut back to between 24" and 30". Reducing the rose's profile will help prevent damage and desiccation by winter winds.  Prune to the outward bud, so that future growth is toward the outside, away from the center of the bush.  

Remove any spent flowers at this time. Rose hips can be left in place and removed in the spring along with any hard pruning that may be necessary. Next, clean up fallen leaves, petals and any debris that’s gathered around the base of each rose bush. This is done to prevent black spot fungus, powdery mildew and other diseases from wintering over. Once clean-up is finished, give your rose bushes a deep, thorough watering. Roses with well hydrated roots are better prepared for winter than those with dry roots. Plan to water your roses every four to five weeks through the winter season.

Now you’re ready to add mulch. All roses will benefit from mounding mulch up around the canes. Mulch serves to keep the ground stable and to prevent damage to the rose as the ground freezes and thaws during the course of the winter. Mulching roses will also help retain moisture through the season. Choose a wood-based mulch such as Shredded Cedar or Soil Pep. Plan to cover each rose bush base with eight to ten-inches of mulch. Rose Collars can be used to help keep the mulch in place through the winter. Mulch should be applied when the ground is cold, usually around Thanksgiving. Don’t prune climbing roses at this time. Secure the canes to the trellis and spray with Wilt-Pruf® to prevent the winter winds from drying out and damaging the canes.