5 Mistakes You Must NEVER Make Winterizing Roses in OCTOBER (Number 3 Kills Them by Spring), by Bloom Fix on YouTube. 10 min 21 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 21 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Stop feeding roses by late August or early September. Nitrogen pushes out soft new growth that the first frost kills. Switch to a high-potash feed until growth stops.
Stop deadheading in early autumn. Let the roses form hips so the plant starts shutting down and hardening its canes for winter.
Leave hard pruning until late winter. In October, only shorten canes that are long enough to whip about in the wind, cutting them back by about a third.
Rake up fallen leaves, petals and old mulch from around each bush. Black spot and other diseases sit in that debris and reinfect the plant next spring.
Water deeply once a week if rain is scarce, soaking the soil around the roots. A rose that goes into winter with moist ground handles frost better than a dry one.
Wait until you have had a hard frost, then mound soil or compost 8 to 12 inches up around the base of each bush to cover the graft union.
Mulch over the mound with 3 to 4 inches of bark, straw or leaves, keeping the material a few inches clear of the stems so they do not rot.
Tie tall and climbing canes to their supports with twine, then wrap them in burlap or fleece, leaving the top open so air can move through.
Tips and common mistakes
Never wrap roses in plastic sheeting, because it traps moisture and rots the canes.
Mounding too early on a warm autumn day can smother the plant, so wait for that first hard frost.
Wear gloves and cut away from your body when using pruners.
Move potted roses to a sheltered spot against a wall and wrap the pot itself, since roots freeze faster above ground.
Questions
Can I prune my roses in October?
Only lightly. Cut back canes that would whip in the wind, but save the real prune for late winter or early spring, when the plant is dormant and you can see what died.
Do I need to protect roses in a mild climate?
Usually not much. If winters rarely drop below freezing, skip the soil mound and just mulch and keep the ground clear.
What happens if I fertilize roses in autumn?
The nitrogen triggers tender new shoots that frost kills straight away, which weakens the whole bush going into spring.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
