Fall Preparation (Before the First Hard Freeze)

Hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras need the most care; many shrub, rugosa, and own-root roses are hardier and often need only lighter mulching.

Stop fertilizing: Discontinue feeding your roses about 6 weeks before your first expected hard frost so new, tender growth can harden off.

Clean the garden: Rake and remove all fallen leaves, petals, and debris from around the base (do not compost diseased material). This reduces overwintering black spot, mildew, and other pathogens.

Hold off on heavy pruning: After dormancy (post-hard frost), cut long canes back to roughly 24–36 inches to reduce wind rock that can loosen roots. Remove dead, broken, or clearly diseased wood. Make cuts at a 45° angle just above an outward-facing bud. Save major shaping/pruning for late winter or early spring.

Watering: Continue watering during dry spells until the ground freezes so roots stay hydrated.

Canes of climbing roses can be loosely tied down with twine to prevent damage from winter winds.

Leave Hips: If your variety produces rose hips, leave the final blooms on the bush for winter color and to feed local birds.

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Winterizing In-Ground Roses

Wait for dormancy: Wait until after the first few hard freezes have forced the plant into complete dormancy before adding heavy insulation.

Mound the base: The most important step for grafted roses. Cover the crown and graft union with a 6 to 10 inch mound of soil, compost, or shredded leaves to protect against extreme cold and freeze-thaw cycles. Do not pull soil immediately beside the rose roots, as this can expose the root system. Use soil or compost brought in from elsewhere.

Apply mulch: Once the soil mound has frozen, cover it with 4 to 6 inches of dry leaves, straw, pine needles, or wood chips. This helps keep the mound frozen and buffers temperature swings and helps protect the roots.

Wait to apply heavy protection until after several hard frosts (temps in the 20s°F or lower) when the plant is dormant and the soil surface is starting to freeze—typically late October into November in Zone 6. Covering too early can encourage soft growth or trap moisture.

Hardy varieties: Tough shrubs like Knock Out roses generally need minimal care—usually just 2 to 4 inches of basic mulch—unless you live in extreme cold zones (Zone 4 and below).

Hardy shrub/own-root roses: A 3–6 inch layer of mulch after freeze-up is often sufficient.

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Winterizing Potted Roses

Move containers: Transfer potted roses into an unheated garage, shed, or protected barn where they are safe from drying winter winds and severe drops in temperature. Containers can also be placed in the ground in an unused garden bed and mulched. Check periodically to ensure the soil does not dry out completely.

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Spring Removal

Gradually uncover: Begin removing the extra soil mounds and mulch layers in late March or early April once the worst of the hard freezes have passed.

Prune back damage: Cut out any dead, dark, or winter-damaged canes back to healthy white pith.