RoseFarm.com International

Winter Care for Organic Rose Growing

Roses give the garden beautiful color and wonderful aromas. There are many beautiful varieties of roses suitable for gardens that provide spectacular blooms and attractive color year after year.
Care Tips:
• transplant roses into a well-prepared bed or container with a fertile growing medium
• site roses where they will receive at least six hours of full sun per day (morning sun is best)
• ensure an adequate supply of water to a well-drained bed
• prune in early spring
• apply mulch during May
• follow a regular pest control program
How to Plant Roses
If the weather prevents immediate planting, ensure roses are kept cool and their roots moist. Do not store for more than three days.
Dig a hole large enough to allow for natural root spread and deep enough just to cover the bud union or graft. If planting bare-root roses, mound soil up around the rose stems to a height of six to eight inches to prevent them from drying out. Remove the soil mound once growth begins (usually within 10 to 14 days).
Stake tree roses at the time of planting to prevent damage and breakage.
Roses need regular watering throughout the growing season. Apply the water directly to the soil, keeping the foliage dry.
Feed roses with a granular fertilizer such as Ortho Rose Pride Systemic Rose & Flower Care, following the instructions on the package.
Test the soil’s pH level during fall. Roses thrive in a pH level of 6.5 – 6.0. If the soil is less than 5.0, it is too acidic and ground limestone should be incorporated into the growing medium. If the pH is greater than 7.5, the soil is too alkaline and needs sulphur.
Choosing Roses
Shrub roses provide an upright, dense growth that spreads rapidly. Most varieties of shrub roses are extremely hardy. Their small flowers are ideally suited for borders, slopes and rocky areas.
Climbing roses produce long canes that can be trained to climb a tree or a trellis. Most climbers flower in the spring.
Hybrid tea roses are tall, statuesque plants with large blooms, ideal for cutting. A wide variety of color and fragrances are available. Plants are bushy and around four feet tall.
Floribundas are low bushy roses that are tolerant to disease and cold spells. Used primarily in landscaping, their flowers are borne in large clusters. Ideal for borders and paths.
Polyanthus is similar to floribundas with slightly smaller flowers. They are low-growing roses, suited to borders and lining walkways and driveways.
Grandifloras are a cross between hybrid tea and floribunda roses. Flowers are large and are borne in loose clusters on shorter stems.
One question that comes up for many gardeners this time of year is how to prepare their roses for winter. The harsh winter weather found colder zones (zones 6 and below) can easily claim the lives of hybrid tea roses, floribunda and grandiflora roses, unless they are offered at least some level of winter protection. There are several ways to prepare your roses for winter and which method works best continues to cause heated debates among rosarians. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter which method you choose, just as long as it carries your roses through until next spring.
How Freezing Temperatures Affect Roses
Understanding how roses can be damaged by winter weather can help you decide which level of protection your roses will need. In general, the colder winter, the more protection they need.
Common Winter Injuries:
1. Roots drying out. This usually happen as a result of the plants being heaved out of the ground due to the ground constantly thawing and freezing.
2. Direct injuries sustained to the roots and canes as a result of extremely cold temperatures.
3. Temperature swings (sunny days and cold nights) resulting in cracks or splits in the stems.
4. Injuries and breakage sustained by animals, snow or ice.
Pre-Winter Prep
By mid-August you should stop fertilizing. Don’t do anymore pruning now either or you will only encourage new growth. Clean up and remove any fallen leaf debris to prevent insects and disease organisms from taking refuge over winter. Keep up with your watering schedule until the ground starts to freeze.
One question that comes up for many gardeners this time of year, is how to prepare their roses for winter. The harsh winter weather found colder zones (zones 6 and below) can easily claim the lives of hybrid tea roses, floribunda and grandiflora roses, unless they are offered at least some level of winter protection. There are several ways to prepare your roses for winter and which method works best continues to cause heated debates among rosarians. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter which method you choose, just as long as it carries your roses through until next spring.
How Freezing Temperatures Affect Roses
Understanding how roses can be damaged by winter weather can help you decide which level of protection your roses will need. In general, the colder winter, the more protection they need.
Common Winter Injuries:
1. Roots drying out. This usually happen as a result of the plants being heaved out of the ground due to the ground constantly thawing and freezing.
2. Direct injuries sustained to the roots and canes as a result of extremely cold temperatures.
3. Temperature swings (sunny days and cold nights) resulting in cracks or splits in the stems.
4. Injuries and breakage sustained by animals, snow or ice.
Pre-Winter Prep
By mid-August you should stop fertilizing. Don’t do anymore pruning now either, or you will only encourage new growth. Clean up and remove any fallen leaf debris to prevent insects and disease organisms from taking refuge over winter. Keep up with your watering schedule until the ground starts to freeze.
Methods of Protection
Once your garden sees a few hard frosts, it’s time to add some winter protection. Don’t add mulch or compost any sooner, or you’ll run the risk of interfering with the plant’s natural ability to ready itself for winter. If necessary, cut back the canes to 18-24 inches to make them easier to handle, and bundle (tie) them to prevent “rocking” damage from winter winds.
Mounding or “Hilling”: Use fresh soil (or compost, bark, vermiculite, peat moss, saw dust, etc.) to create a mound of loosely layered mulch around the base of each bush. The mulch should be at least 10-12 inches deep. You don’t have to cover the entire plant, but make sure the base of the bush is well insulated against the cold.
Gardeners in the coldest zones (6 and below) will want to take this a step further and cover the entire plant with mulch. You can do this quite easily by adding a collar around the bush made from chicken wire, hardware cloth or a tomato cage. Wrap the collar with cardboard, bubble wrap or tarp, fill it up with fresh straw and cover the top to prevent snow or rain from collecting inside. Keep the straw loose and the mulch porous to encourage air circulation and avoid smothering the roots and crown. This method usually provides enough protection for roses grown in zones 7 and 8.
Rose Cones: Another method is to add 10 to 12 inches of loose mulch around the base of the rose bush and cover it using a commercially available rose cone. These are usually made from Styrofoam and will need to be secured by some type of weight (rock or brick) to keep them from blowing away. If you’re covering extremely tender roses, cut of the top of the cone and add straw for extra protection. It’s also best to poke a few small holes in the sides of the cone to allow for some airflow.
Tipping: Here in Minnesota, many rosarians use a method we call the Minnesota Tip. The first step is to dig a trench. Start the digging away from the bush and work your way towards it. The trench needs to be long enough and wide enough to accommodate the entire rose bush.
Now using a spading fork, carefully pull the soil away from the area between the bud union and the main branching of the root system. You want to loosen the soil around the roots until you can bend or “tip” the bush completely into the trench. Hold the bush down into the trench and cover it with 2 or 3 inches of soil. On top of this, add 18 inches of loose leaves or straw. Around April 1st, gradually uncover the roses as the weather continues to warm up. By mid April, the roses can be lifted back into their upright positions and the canes syringed with water to prevent them from drying out.
Protecting Climbers: To protect climbing roses, remove them from their supports, bundle the canes, lay them on the ground and cover them with 6 to 10 inches of soil and mulch. Try to avoid cracking or splitting the stems when bending them.
Winter Rose Care for Zones 9 through 11
Roses grown in these zones don’t need protection from cold temperatures, but they are subject to fungal diseases from wet winter weather. Give your bushes a light feeding now and plan on pruning them after they bloom next month.
Choose Roses Hardy to Your Zone
The best way to avoid winter injuries is to start with a healthy rose bush. Vigorous plants that are free from insects and disease stand the best chance of surviving winter weather. Most importantly, choose a variety that is hardy to your zone. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds, because most modern roses are usually hybrids and they are not always tested thoroughly for hardiness. It’s a great idea to solicit advice from local gardeners who have successfully grown locally purchased roses under “real-life” local growing conditions. Ask them how they prepare their roses for winter and who sells the best quality roses in your area. Once your garden sees a few hard frosts, it’s time to add some winter protection. Don’t add mulch or compost any sooner, or you’ll run the risk of interfering with the plant’s natural ability to ready itself for winter. If necessary, cut back the canes to 18-24 inches to make them easier to handle, and bundle (tie) them to prevent “rocking” damage from winter winds.
Mounding or “Hilling”: Use fresh soil (or compost, bark, vermiculite, peat moss, saw dust, etc.) to create a mound of loosely layered mulch around the base of each bush. The mulch should be at least 10-12 inches deep. You don’t have to cover the entire plant, but make sure the base of the bush is well insulated against the cold.
Gardeners in the coldest zones (6 and below) will want to take this a step further and cover the entire plant with mulch. You can do this quite easily by adding a collar around the bush made from chicken wire, hardware cloth or a tomato cage. Wrap the collar with cardboard, bubble wrap or tarp, fill it up with fresh straw and cover the top to prevent snow or rain from collecting inside. Keep the straw loose and the mulch porous to encourage air circulation and avoid smothering the roots and crown. This method usually provides enough protection for roses grown in zones 7 and 8.
Rose Cones: Another method is to add 10 to 12 inches of loose mulch around the base of the rose bush and cover it using a commercially available rose cone. These are usually made from Styrofoam and will need to be secured by some type of weight (rock or brick) to keep them from blowing away. If you’re covering extremely tender roses, cut of the top of the cone and add straw for extra protection. It’s also best to poke a few small holes in the sides of the cone to allow for some airflow.
Tipping: Here in Minnesota, many rosarians use a method we call the Minnesota Tip. The first step is to dig a trench. Start the digging away from the bush and work your way towards it. The trench needs to be long enough and wide enough to accommodate the entire rose bush.
Now using a spading fork, carefully pull the soil away from the area between the bud union and the main branching of the root system. You want to loosen the soil around the roots until you can bend or “tip” the bush completely into the trench. Hold the bush down into the trench and cover it with 2 or 3 inches of soil. On top of this, add 18 inches of loose leaves or straw. Around April 1st, gradually uncover the roses as the weather continues to warm up. By mid April, the roses can be lifted back into their upright positions and the canes syringed with water to prevent them from drying out.
Protecting Climbers: To protect climbing roses, remove them from their supports, bundle the canes, lay them on the ground and cover them with 6 to 10 inches of soil and mulch. Try to avoid cracking or splitting the stems when bending them.
Winter Rose Care for Zones 9 through 11
Roses grown in these zones don’t need protection from cold temperatures, but they are subject to fungal diseases from wet winter weather. Give your bushes a light feeding now and plan on pruning them after they bloom next month.
Choose Roses Hardy to Your Zone
The best way to avoid winter injuries is to start with a healthy rose bush. Vigorous plants that are free from insects and disease stand the best chance of surviving winter weather. Most importantly, choose a variety that is hardy to your zone. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds, because most modern roses are usually hybrids and they are not always tested thoroughly for hardiness. It’s a great idea to solicit advice from local gardeners who have successfully grown locally purchased roses under “real-life” local growing conditions. Ask them how they prepare their roses for winter and who sells the best quality roses in your area.

Miniatures are hardy, small roses. Generally they have a long blooming period. Miniatures are perfect in planter boxes and containers.
Rugosa roses grow up to two to six feet tall blooming in shades of, pink, red, yellow and white.
The Right Tools
Swiss-made field hand pruners give a clean cut that is excellent for any plant. Size #2 is the most popular, but Pasquesi Home and Farm Suppliers carries several sizes to fit any hand. The blades are replaceable.
Wells Lemont “Rose Tender” gloves for women offer snag-free protection with a 13-inch gauntlet to protect arms from rose thorns.
When Planting Roses. . .
Remember to allow for growth, spread, height differences, space and color. Be sure to select a site that receives at least six hours of morning sun and is protected from strong, drying winds.
Roses need a nutritious, pH-balanced growing medium and good drainage.
Prepare the rose bed during fall to allow early spring planting. To aerate and break up the soil, incorporate organic material such as mushroom compost to a depth of 12-18 inches.
Protecting Roses during the winter
November is usually the best time to prepare roses for winter.
Tie canes together and mound the base of each plant with at least 10 inches of soil. Be careful not to take soil from the base of the rose exposing shallow roots.
Once the soil mound has frozen, cover with eight to 10 inches of leaves, hay or evergreen branches to keep the mound frozen. A cylinder of wire mesh will hold the insulation material in place during wind or rain.
Tree roses require extra care during the winter months. Loosen soil around the roots to bend the rose tree over to lie horizontally on the ground. Half the roots remain underground. Dig a shallow hole to hold the top of the plant. Stake the trunk in place. The entire plant should be covered with four to five inches of soil.

Tips for organic roses
Don’t pray at the first sign of aphids. Instead, allow time for the birds, ladybirds and other predatory insects to discover them. They will lay eggs close by, or parasitize them. Rub out aphids with your fingers.
Use roses in mixed planting rather than in dedicated rose borders, as this lessens the chance of diseases like black spot.
Another great idea is to under-plant your roses with a non-invasive herbaceous perennial such as Campanula lactiflora ‘Prichard’s Variety’, Viola cornuta and hardy geraniums. This under*storey will help to prevent fungal spores from splashing up from the soil.
Use some late-flowering nectar plants to sustain hoverflies and lacewings. Both have predatory larvae which feed on aphids.
Feed roses well – once in March and again after the first flush of flower. Use garden compost, well-rotted manure or a slow-release, sprinkle-on rose fertilizer.
Prune roses and make cuts that slope away from the buds – using sharp secateurs. Remove the dead, dying and diseased wood by late spring, keeping the shape open to allow a flow of air.
Mulch well-rotted organic material should be used during winter to create a barrier between soils and rose.
Be bold and replace disease-prone roses with better varieties. Ideally replace the soil or replant in a different position.
Plant a rose bush that produces rose hips to sustain the birds. Rosa glauca is a large shrub with dark foliage and cocoa-brown hips. It can be planted on a boundary edge.
Ask specialist rose growers to recommend their healthiest varieties. Prepare the ground well when planting and cut bare-root roses down hard to limit wind rock.
Top 10 disease-resistant roses
Silver Ghost
A repeat-flowering shrub rose with single white flowers and dark healthy foliage (2ft). Gold Standard rose.
Temptress
A repeat-flowering dark red climbing rose with glossy dark green foliage – for pillars, walls and arches (up to 6ft).
Golden Gate
A mid-yellow, repeat-flowering climber with semi-double flowers for pillars, walls and arches (up to 6ft).
Cinderella
A light pink, repeat-flowering climber bearing clusters of quartered flowers. Very fragrant (over 6ft).
Lancashire
A low-growing, repeat-flowering ground cover rose, with unscented red flowers and dark green leaves (2ft).
Buxom Beauty
Highly scented, mauve-pink hybrid tea rose with healthy foliage and large spiraled buds which give huge flowers (4ft).
Champagne Moments
A superb floribunda with clusters of pale apricot flowers fading to cream (2ft 6in-3ft). This was Rose of the Year 2006.
Red Finesse
A dark red floribunda with rich green leaves (3ft).
Summer Beauty
Short apricot floribunda with clusters of full flowers and olive-green foliage (2ft 3in).
Caribbean Dawn
A semi-double, patio rose with lots of pink flowers shaded in yellow and orange and small green leaves (2ft).