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By November, rose care shifts noticeably depending on your growing zone. In cold climates, most roses will have experienced their first hard freezes, signaling it’s time for winter protection. In moderate zones, cleanup and cutbacks may begin as growth slows. Meanwhile, in hot climates, roses often continue blooming into winter and benefit from continued feeding and monitoring. If you’ve selected varieties suited to your zone and growing conditions, winter protection typically isn’t necessary, though you can add it for extra peace of mind. Use these zone-specific tips to keep your rose garden healthy and resilient through the seasonal transition.
If you haven’t had them already, after a couple of hard freezes you can trim the roses back by about 1/3 to prevent damage from winds whipping them back and forth.
If you winter protect your roses, the time to start is after those first couple of hard freezes to make sure the roses are fully dormant.
Don’t trim back perennials, grasses, and other plants in the garden. Many insects overwinter in them, particularly beneficial insects and native bees. Wait until spring when you’ve had a week of temperatures above 50 degrees both at night and during the day.
After you’ve had a couple of hard freezes you can trim the roses back by about 1/3 to prevent damage from winds whipping them back and forth.
Don’t trim back perennials, grasses, and other plants in the garden. Many insects overwinter in them, particularly beneficial insects and native bees. Wait until spring when you’ve had a week of temperatures above 50 degrees both at night and during the day.
Fertilizing. You are heading into your winter bloom. Roses are heavy feeders, so use a granular like Rose Tone instead of a time-release. Pick up foliar feeding again with a product like Sea Magic. Use both as per directions on the package.
Keep deadheading. You are coming into your winter bloom, and in hotter climates, fall and winter flowering can be outstanding.
If you get an unusual hard freeze, stop fertilizing and deadheading. Let the roses rest until pruning time.
Check your mulch levels. If they are low, top dress lightly to help keep the soil moist and temperatures even.
Keep an eye out for pests like aphids. You can hose them off with water or use something mild like insecticidal soap.
If you see disease, spray the infected areas with Bonide Captain Jack’s Copper Fungicide, available from Jackson & Perkins.
