Protecting a Rose for Winter

Most roses do well without protection in temperatures down to 15° F or 20° F. If your winter lows are colder than this, you'll need to mound most roses. If your winters are very cold, dipping to -10° or colder, you'll need to cover the rose canes as well, unless the rose is one of the very cold hardy species. Check the plant information that came with the rose or your local nursery if you're unsure or consult your local nursery.

Mound roses after two to three weeks of below-freezing weather. Tie the canes together to prevent them from whipping in the wind and prune off very long or wayward canes. Then toss a spadeful or two of good garden soil or compost on the base of the plant to a height of 8 to 12 inches. Pat the soil with your hand to firm it.

If you need to cover more of the rose, make a collar of chicken wire and fill it with a loose organic mulch, such as chopped autumn leaves, straw, wood chips, or pine needles. The collar should come up about 3 feet.