Getting your roses ready for winter involves more than just covering them with mulch. If you care for your roses well in the fall, they will have a head start for successful growth in the spring.
Before winter arrives, be sure your roses:
- Are planted in full sun and receive at least 6 hours of light per day, excluding shade-tolerant roses.
- Have a soil pH balance between 6.0 and 6.5.
- Have good drainage so the roots stay healthy.
- Have been fertilized regularly during the growing season and that fertilization stopped in late summer.
- Have been watered at the base of the plant with about 2” of water per week to avoid blackspot and fungal infection.
- Are no longer being deadheaded beginning in the fall to allow the rose to form hips as a winter preparation.
- Have had old debris and leaves removed from the ground around the plants.
- Have not been pruned, which would stimulate new growth in the winter.
If you’ve followed these steps, your roses are well-prepared for winter!
If not, don’t worry—roses are resilient. You can still take steps now and provide extra care in the spring to ensure a healthy growing season.