Seasonal Rose Care Tasks

 

Roses, like everything else in the garden, have noticed the shortened days and cooler, longer nights. The changing weather is their cue that winter is coming, and it’s time to shut down for the season. Here’s what needs to be done to prepare them for the season ahead.   

Keep watering. Roses are most likely to experience die back during the winter from temperature fluctuations, dry winds and lack of moisture. Deep watering now prepares roses for that first hard frost. As winter sets in, it’s important to continue watering, just not as frequently.

Plan to water every four to five weeks on a day when temperatures are above 40°F. Water around midday.  The goal is to deep water the roots.   

Stop deadheading. While many roses are still blooming, it is important to stop removing spent blooms.

Let your roses transition naturally into dormancy by allowing them to form rose hips from these late season blooms.   

Stop fertilizing. Feeding your roses at this time of the season will encourage new, tender growth that will quickly die back at first frost.   

Do continue to remove any diseased or damaged canes.  Cut them off and dispose of them.  

Do continue to prune off diseased leaves from the bush. Avoid pulling leaves off as this can create small tears along the cane and provide an entry point for diseases and insects, so clip instead.  

Do keep the area under the rose bush clean. Rake up and discard all leaves and debris in the area under the rose bush. This will help prevent blackspot, mildew, and other diseases from wintering over in any litter on the ground so removing this material will reduce problems next spring.  

In mid to late November, cut back hybrid tea rose canes at 2.5 to 3 feet to reduce wind and snow damage.  This is also the time to apply a natural mulch.  

Whether your roses are grafted or own root, they will benefit from applying a natural mulch to the bed.  This serves to keep the ground cold and stable and helps prevent damage to the rose bush as the ground freezes and thaws, only to freeze again during our typical winter season. Adding mulch will also help retain moisture. 

Cedar Mulch and Gorilla Hair are good choices for mulching your roses.  A three-to-four-inch layer of mulch should be applied to the entire area under the rose canopy, with seven-to-eight inches added to the central part of the bush. This will protect the bud graft as well as the roots.  A rose collar will help hold the mulch around the graft. 

Once the mulch is in place, dust the area with sulfur. Sulfur will help control disease and insects trying to winter over.   

 If you have climbing roses in the garden, secure the canes to the trellis and wrap them in burlap to prevent winter winds from drying out and damaging the canes, then apply an organic mulch. Wait until spring to prune climbing roses. 

The Flower Bin Diagnostic Center is open year-round. We’ll be glad to answer any gardening questions you might have.