Preparing Hybrid Roses for Winter

Hardier varieties of roses withstand harsh temperatures by becoming dormant during winter months, emerging unscathed when the warm weather returns, but many varieties of hybrid roses, such as tea roses, are particularly vulnerable to cold temperatures. They can suffer severe damage and possibly even die if they are left unprotected. This is because most hybrid roses lack the mechanism that causes hardier varieties to become dormant; instead, many of them continue trying to grow even though colder temperatures make normal growth impossible. By taking a few preventative measures you can ensure that your hybrid roses will survive the winter undamaged and flourish year after year.

One of the primary sources of damage to hybrid roses during the winter is not the harsh temperatures but the severe dehydration that is caused by freezing and harsh winds. If you properly protect your hybrid rosebushes against the effects of the elements, you can ensure that the plant remains strong and healthy.

You should begin preparing your rosebushes for winter late in the fall after they have finished blooming but before frost becomes a regular occurrence. Start by tying all of the rosebush canes together with heavy string or twine. Wrapping the twine around all outer stalks to keep the bush together helps to prevent it from being blown down by high winds or knocked down by heavy snowfall. To protect the top of your rosebushes, surround them with evergreen boughs then wrap them with burlap, tying them securely with twine to hold the entire package in place. In severe northern climates, you may need even more protection. For additional protection, surround your burlap-wrapped rosebush with a cylinder made from tarpaper, plastic or chicken wire, filling it with organic material such as straw, wood chips or bark mulch.

Add a mound of soil 8-12 inches high at the base of the rosebush to protect the roots and help keep moisture in the ground. Be sure to add extra soil instead of simply piling up the existing soil, because moving soil from the base of the plant will expose the roots to the very elements you are trying to protect them from. Some people use leaves to protect rosebushes from the elements, but leaves are not advisable, for as leaves decompose, they develop fungi and mould, creating additional problems for your delicate rosebushes. Peat moss is a much better solution, and a 3 cubic foot bale will protect 2 to 4 plants.

By spending a little bit of time each autumn to prepare your rosebushes for winter and protect them from the elements, they will be ready for new growth as soon as the warm weather returns. Be sure to remove any wrapping or other protective materials from the bush early in the spring before the plant's buds begin to swell and your roses will quickly adjust to the climate. Soon they will begin their growth anew and furnish your garden with the colourful, aromatic blooms that make hybrid roses a favourite with so many gardeners.