Winter Rose Care: Get Your Roses Ready for Winter

Winter is not the time for a major haircut.

If you have particularly tall or top-heavy roses, you can reduce their height by about a third to help keep winter winds from whipping the canes around. The goal is simply to reduce damage, not reshape the entire plant.

Save the serious pruning for late winter, just before new growth begins.

This is one of the most important things you can do.

Remove fallen leaves and other debris from around your roses, especially foliage that shows signs of black spot or other fungal disease. You don't want that diseased material sitting around your plants all winter.

And don't throw diseased rose leaves into the compost pile. Get them out of the garden.

A clean bed now means fewer problems waiting for you in spring.

In areas where roses go fully dormant and winter conditions warrant it, some gardeners use a dormant spray to help reduce overwintering disease and pests.

If you choose to use one, follow the product label carefully and make sure it is appropriate for roses and for your climate.

Here in the Deep South, winter can be a little different. We often have stretches of mild weather, so timing matters.

Don't be in a hurry to deadhead every last flower.

Allowing some blooms to develop into rose hips gives you a little winter color and provides food for birds. It also lets the rose move naturally toward dormancy.

Besides, a rose covered in hips can be pretty darn beautiful.

By the time winter rolls around, the mulch you put down earlier in the year has usually settled and broken down.

Add a fresh layer around your roses, keeping it a few inches away from the base of the canes.

Mulch helps moderate soil temperatures, conserve moisture, and keep winter weeds under control.

If you garden where winters are especially cold, additional protection may be necessary. In warmer climates, don't overdo it.

Winter doesn't mean your roses never need water.

If your area is experiencing a dry winter, check the soil and water deeply when necessary. Just don't keep the soil constantly wet.

In the Deep South, winter can bring everything from freezing temperatures to warm, dry stretches. Pay attention to what your garden is actually doing rather than watering by the calendar.

Winter is a good time to be honest with yourself.

Is there a rose that struggled all season? One that stayed sick despite your best efforts? One that simply never performed the way you hoped?

You don't have to keep a rose just because you've had it for years.

A healthy garden is built around plants that earn their space.

This is the fun part.

Start looking at new roses now. Make a list. Visit nurseries. Flip through catalogs. See what's new and decide where you have room for another rose.

If you're in a warmer climate like mine, fall and winter can also be excellent planting seasons, depending on your local conditions.

Just remember: the best rose isn't necessarily the newest rose. Choose one that fits your garden, your climate, and the amount of time you're willing to give it.

And finally, don't forget to stop working long enough to enjoy what you've built.

If you've still got a few blooms hanging on, cut them and bring them inside. A handful of November or December roses in a vase can be one of the best reminders that the growing season isn't quite finished.