Time to put the roses to bed

 

 

The prolonged fall has given us a few extra weeks to enjoy some of the hardier plants in our garden including roses, mums and winter pansies. Now's the time to put your roses to bed, finish cleaning up the perennial beds and water everything well.

 

 

To prune your roses, you'll need a good pair of pruners, some garden shears and a lopper. These tools will make it easier to prepare your roses for winter's unpredictable weather.

 

Most seasonal damage to roses, as well as trees, shrubs and perennials, comes from winter's fluctuating temperatures, dry winds and lack of moisture.

 

You can help reduce winter wind damage by pruning your roses back to about 24". Check your roses for dead and diseased canes and for diseases on leaves such as powdery mildew.

 

If you see any diseased branches and leaves, cut them off and dispose of them. While you're at it, rake up any leaves on the ground around your roses.  Don’t let them winter over in the mulch and re-infect your roses next spring.

 

If you have climbing roses in the garden, wait until spring to prune them. Instead, secure the canes to the trellis and wrap them in burlap to prevent winter winds from drying out and damaging the canes.

 

Next, water your roses.  Roses with dry roots will suffer more damage in cold temperatures than roses with well-hydrated roots.

 

Last, add 8” to 10" of mulch around the base of your roses. This will help keep the ground cold and stable during those warm winter days. Mulch will also help retain moisture. Cedar Mulch, Gorilla Hair and Soil Pep are good choices for mulching your roses.

 

Rose collars help hold the mulch in place through the winter.

Water your roses (and other shrubs, trees, perennials) about every three weeks during the winter. Pick a day when the temperature is above 40°. Water around midday and confine your water to the base of the rose. You want to get water to the roots, not the top of the rose.

 

And remember, you're always welcome to bring your rose and gardening questions or concerns to the Diagnostic Center in the Hardgoods section of the store.