Winter Roses: Expert Tips For Wintering In Pots And Beds

The fragile rose needs special protection during the cold season. Here you will learn how to successfully winter roses in bed and pot. Roses thrive best in areas with a warmer climate. In harsher areas, special winter protection measures may be necessary to ensure that your rose will survive the cold months.

Especially the sensitive grafting point and the shoot base with the buds for the coming growing season should be protected from cold temperatures and winter sun. In this article, we will explain how to best winters your roses.

How To Care Winter Roses?

When do my roses get too cold without protection? How do I proceed with wintering in the open and what do I have to consider with potted roses? We have summarized the answers to these questions for you below.

When do my roses get too cold?

Most varieties of roses are not frosted hardy, so you should think about suitable protective measures early enough. However, it is best to let the rose shoots ripen and only apply winter protection when a frost period is imminent.

Wintering roses in a bed

Remove old inflorescences and leaves first. In addition, you should remove the fallen leaves on the ground to prevent fungal diseases. Then, heap up the rose with soil about 20 cm high, so that about three to four eyes are covered.

You should not prune your rose until spring. You can also place fir greenery between the higher shoots that are still sticking out to protect them. The same is true for climbing roses, where the pine greenery can be placed between the shoots along with the climbing aid.

On the other hand, high-stem roses require special frost protection. Again, first, remove the leaves from the crown and from the ground. Then carefully bend the young stems downwards.

Be sure to pay attention to the bending direction so that the trunk does not break off. Then fasten the trunk to the ground with hooks. The crown should lie flat and be covered with garden soil.

Compost soil is not suitable for this purpose, otherwise, the crown will start to rot over the winter. Additional protection for the grafting place is provided by a covering of straw or fir green.

Older high-stem roses do not have to be bent over. It is best to wrap the crown with straw or fir greenery and cover it with an air-permeable cover – for example, a jute bag or fleece hood. In addition, you can pile up the stem rose at the grafting site and, if necessary, attach suitable stem protection.

Summary Winterizing roses in a bed:

1. Apply winter protection only when frost is imminent.
2. Remove old inflorescences and leaves.
3. Remove leaves from the ground.
4. With earth pile up about 20 cm high.
5. Stick fir green between the shoots.

Roses in pot hibernate

With potted roses, additional protection of the roots is of great importance. As in the field, the rose should first be piled up in a pot or tub to protect the grafting point. In addition, the rosebush can be covered with pine greenery. High-stem roses can also be provided with an additional crown cushion.

Next, cover the pot with jute bags or bamboo mats and tie them tightly. Be generous: the thicker the protective layer, the better the insulation against the cold. To protect the rose from the cold from below, we recommend that you place the pot on a wooden or polystyrene plate to avoid direct contact with the ground.

Once you have chosen a location that protects your rose from wind and weather, nothing stands in the way of a successful winter outside in the garden, on the balcony, or terrace. However, if permafrost persists, it is recommended to bring the potted roses into the house and place them in an unheated room – for example in the cellar.

Summary Potted roses overwinter:

1. Select protected location
2. Remove flowers and leaves
3. Pile up with earth
4. Stick fir green between the shoots
5. If necessary, attach crown padding
6. Wrap pot with insulating material
7. Place on polystyrene disk
8. Bring inside in case of permafrost

Caring for roses after the winter

If no more severe frosts are expected, you can remove the fir green and the piled-up soil at the end of March/beginning of April. High trunks should then also be put upright again and crown cushions removed if necessary. Then it is already time for the pruning. We will explain to you in detail in our special article how best to proceed and what else you should bear in mind when caring for roses during the course of the year.