Hundreds of varieties of roses grow very successfully in Minnesota, and almost all of them require some level of winter protection. In our climate, we need to protect plants from low winter temperatures as well as the ups and downs of fall and early spring. Protection may be as simple as raking leaves over the roses in late fall, or as involved as using the Minnesota Tip method. In order to know what is appropriate for your roses, you need to know what type of roses you are growing. Most important, make sure your plants go into winter strong and healthy. You can help them get ready for winter by cutting back on the fertilizing by mid-August.
Roses can be divided into two basic groupings : hardy and non-hardy. Hardy roses include most shrub roses, such as the Explorer series. Non-hardy roses include all grafted roses as well as a few shrub varieties such as the David Austin roses and some of the Flower Carpet series. All hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, polyanthas and many climbers are non-hardy grafted roses that require good winter protection.
If I'm not sure what type of roses I have, how can I tell? If you can see a graft on your rose bush, you know it isn't hardy and will definitely need protection. Grafted roses have a single trunk emerging from the soil with a large, knotted area several inches above ground level. All the canes should be coming from this graft. Roses that aren't grafted have lots of branches emerging from below ground. But, just because a rose isn't grafted doesn't mean it's hardy. If you are unsure, your best bet is to protect your roses. You can't hurt the rose by protecting it, but you may lose it if you don't.
What should I do with tree roses? They are not hardy and need to be protected using the Minnesota Tip method or stored where it is dark and consistently cold (25-40 degrees) throughout the winter. It is essential that it be cold enough to keep the plant dormant so it can rest.
Should I do anything special to climbing roses? Hardy climbers are treated like any other hardy rose. In severe climates like ours, you will save more of your grafted climbing rose canes by taking them down, pinning them to the ground and mulching heavily. The base of the plant should be protected too. If you can't take them down, try to bundle the canes and protect them from the winter winds by wrapping them with burlap.
If my roses are hardy, what will they need? Hardy roses are grown on their own roots. In horrible winters, we may lose a lot of the growth above ground, but the roots are seldom damaged. The first year hardy roses are planted, it helps to mulch them with shredded leaves, hay or straw.
If my roses are non-hardy, what do they need? The newest, most effective way to protect non-hardy roses is the Minnesota Tip method. We have an excellent care sheet that fully explains this process. Basically, you are digging a trench next to the rose and tipping it over, then covering it with soil (several inches deep) and mulch (3-5 inches deep).
When do I need to get the roses ready for winter? Wait until we have had a killing frost before beginning any winter protection. In mid-to late October, you need to do your tipping or mounding of soil. It is important to wait until the ground is cold before mulching or covering. Usually this is in November.
Should I prune my roses in the fall? With hardy roses, it isn't necessary. Wait until spring and prune out what has died. If at all possible, avoid pruning roses that are going to be tipped. With roses that are mounded and remain standing, much of the exposed branching will be killed by winter, so those canes are pruned back to 8-10 inches.
Is it a good idea to tie up the canes? When winterizing non-hardy roses, tying the canes together loosely can make covering the plants much easier. Old panty hose or strips of cotton t-shirts work great, since they don't cut into the canes.
Should I worry about diseases over winter? The University advises spraying with Lime-Sulfur to discourage disease during the winter. Because it is a harsh chemical, rose growers may want to use Horticultural Oil or a sulfur spray such as Safer's Garden Fungicide. Be sure to remove any loose debris such as rose leaves or canes to discourage soil-borne disease.
What if I don't have room to Minnesota tip? The older method of protecting tender roses is to mound soil around and over the graft of the rose where it is growing. The soil level needs to be 6 inches over the graft.
On tender roses without a graft, mound up at least 8-10 inches. Using this method, the roses need to be trimmed back. Apply mulch later. Tipped roses do winter more successfully, but sometimes this isn't possible.
What about rose cones? Are they a good idea? Rose cones still serve many rose growers' needs. Be aware that it can get extremely warm inside them on sunny days, possibly damaging the exposed canes. To minimize this problem, be sure you don't put them over the roses until the ground is near freezing, usually in early to mid-
November. Cones should have some ventilation, either air holes or a top that can be removed on sunny days. Tipping is likely to be more successful.
What do I do in the spring? Around mid-April, remove the mulch covering your roses, but wait until early May to remove the mounded soil or stand the tipped roses back up. Remove all dead wood and shape the rose bush as needed.
Is there any way I can winter the roses I have growing in containers on my patio? Roses in containers can only stand temperatures down to the mid-20s without damage. After the plants have received several frosts to trigger dormancy, they will have to be stored someplace reliably cold (between 25-40 degrees) until spring. During this period of time, they should only be watered occasionally to keep them from completely drying out. Do not fertilize.
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