Jackson & Perkins: Garden Tips: Winter Care of Roses

August:
Fertilize and deadhead for the last time.

October and November:
Depending on where you live and how soon fall and winter comes, you'll want to start protecting your roses for the winter. Once you have had a few good frosts, leaves will start falling. Apply a dormant spray such as lime sulfur and/or spray oil. This will kill pests and fungal diseases that might try to overwinter on the plant or surrounding soil. It can also help nudge those final leaves off. Rake leaves from around your plants to prevent the spread of diseases.

Zones 1-6 and some of Zone 7 should follow these additional winter protection guidelines:

For Hybrid Teas and Floribundas: Cover the crowns with a mound of soil about 6" high, then cover the plants and mound with straw. Don't prune your roses at this time, unless there is a concern that canes and branches could be broken when loaded with snow.

Tree Roses: In areas where winter temperatures are below 10°F., remove any stakes and gently dig away soil on one side. Bend your tree rose downward to the ground and cover it with straw first, then soil.

Climbing and Groundcover Roses: Cover the base of your climbers with soil. Tie the canes and wrap them in burlap. For severe-winter areas, anchor the canes to the ground and cover them with straw.

In Zones 7-8:
Protection is usually not necessary, but roses can benefit from applying mulch over the crown area if a cold winter is forecasted.

December and January:
In Zones 9-11, roses usually don't go completely dormant, but it still is a good idea to rejuvenate them at this time. Remove all the old leaves, prune out weak, spindly or diseased canes at the base, remove any canes crossing through the center, then prune remaining canes back by one-third to one-half.

Late winter ? This is the time to prune your roses - killing freezes have passed and the roses are just starting to break dormancy (buds are swelling).

Water your roses if there is no rain or snow for more than two weeks, to keep roses healthy and prevent them from drying out. Be sure to remove the soil mound and any other protective covering when buds begin to swell in spring.