Roses (Winter Care) Getting Your Roses Ready For Winter Leave the last blooms in the fall on the plant to form hips. This will slow growth and help them go dormant. To prevent diseases from finding a home, remove all leaves from the rose bed. Apply a dormant spray or oil such as lime sulfur to help get rid of diseases that might return in the spring. Cover the crown of the plant with a soil mound about 6 inches high, then cover the entire plant and soil mound with mulch. Your roses need water to keep them healthy even in winter to prevent drying out. If there is no rain for a few weeks, you will want to water. If your winters are long and severe, special protection may be needed. Rose cones or burlap can be used to prevent damage from winter wind. Climbing Roses If you have severe winters, it's best to stake the canes to the ground and cover with mulch. Cover the base of the climber with soil, then tie the canes and wrap them in burlap to protect them from whipping in the wind and drying out. Tree Roses If winter temperatures in your area fall below 10o F., you should protect your tree roses. Lay the rose down; remove the stake, and if the trunk cannot be bent without breaking, lift one side of the root ball so that the trunk can be laid flat. Cover the top, trunk, and exposed roots with soil, and then apply mulch. Before new growth begins in the spring, remove all burlap or coverings. Mulch should be removed after the last frost, and then regular care should begin. back