When and How to Remove Winter Protection From Your Roses

You really should go take a peek outside… do you feel that? That’s spring, just around the corner, and I can’t wait! Neither can your roses! It’s just about time to peek under those covers and see how everyone weathered the cold weather.

Depending on your climate, you’ve likely taken one or more of a handful of precautions with your precious plants. While most roses are fairly cold-tolerant, you can take steps to preserve their integrity. This is especially important for modern and grafted roses. These tend to be more vulnerable. 

The time for protecting is past for this season, and on the horizon is time for you to start tending to them for the new one. Before you get started, let’s talk about when you should begin and how to get your roses ready for the spring growing season. 

How Long Should I Wait?

Many roses have decent cold tolerance, depending on your Zone. You can grow these plants in Zones 5-9, for the most part. Some are more hardy, surviving as far north as Zone 3. But even these extra tough cultivars will benefit from some preparation and protection over the winter. 

These protections take several forms. You can mulch the roots, protect the canes from damaging winds, and cover the entire shrub with frost cloth. Rose cones and collars are other helpful tools in protecting your plants from extreme cold and temperature fluctuations.

The time for protection is in the fall. But what about removing those protections? There is a right and wrong time for uncovering and untying your roses, and it’s going to be here before you know it. 

The timing will change according to your climate. In general, March is about the time to free roses from their winter protection and remove any coverings. Right around the time your daffodils and forsythia start to bloom, your shrub will be getting ready to come out of dormancy. 

A sure sign that it’s time to get them ready for the growing season is swelling buds. I’m referring to the leaf buds rather than the flower buds, which will come later, in late spring and early summer. This bud swelling should coincide with the time of year when your last frost date has passed, and nighttime temperatures are consistently above freezing. 

Take a look under the covers and see what your buds are looking like. If they are tiny and newly formed, you can give them a couple more weeks. If they look like they are ready to spring into action, go ahead and proceed with removing those winter protections. Remember to do all of these actions on a warm, sunny day; it will help reduce stress on the plant.

Mulch

One of the most common protections we give our shrubs in preparation for cold weather is mulch. In the fall, while the soil is still warm, we pile a layer of mulch on top to insulate the roots. Piling it on before the ground freezes is important because you want to retain as much heat in the soil as possible. 

In the spring, it might be tempting to leave it in place since you’ll want mulch over the summer as well. However, it’s best to remove what you laid down in the fall and give it a refresh. Alternately, if the mulch is broken down significantly, you can work it into the soil, as it will break down further and feed the plant.

Left in place, this winter mulch can stifle the plant, contribute to root rot, and harbor mold and other harmful pathogens. To be safe, use a rake to clear away that old mulch and give your rose a breather. Then, lay down a fresh layer, leaving a gap around the base for air circulation. At the very least, create some space around that base, moving the old mulch away from the stems. 

Rose Collar

Rose collars are plastic cylinders that help hold mulch or straw in place around the plant’s base. An alternative to this is to pile a mound of soil around the base. These achieve a similar purpose. They both serve as insulation, protecting the roots and base from fluctuating temperatures and other types of winter damage. 

These collars usually open and close, hinging so that you can easily wrap them around the base. If you’ve used one of these collars, go ahead and take it off before you deal with the mulch. Then, either work the mulch or straw into the soil or remove it and apply a fresh layer. 

Rose Cone

Rose cones are a type of protective covering that you place over the entire plant to protect it from freezing weather, fluctuations, and icy winds. They’re usually made of thick, sturdy material, often with a reflective coating. Some are styrofoam, but these are usually not the best quality and tend to blow off easily and break down.

Finding one with a breathable vent is better, as it allows air to circulate and moisture to evaporate. An issue with un-ventable cones is that they hold moisture and allow mold to form. Once the chance of frost passes, gently lift the cones off and store them for the summer. It’s that simple!

Pull back any materials, such as leaves or mulch, from around the base of the shrub. This cuts down on fungus and other harmful pathogens. 

Tied Canes

Roses lose their leaves in winter and become more delicate and exposed. They are more vulnerable to damage from frosty winds whipping them around and banging them against one another. Tying the canes also makes it easier to carry on with other protections like coverings and collars.

After you remove any coverings or collars, gently untie your canes and allow them to breathe. Remove any dead leaves that are still attached, and give those canes a good pruning.

Cloth

If you used a frost cloth, burlap, or other cloth covering, it’s time to remove those as well. Often, rose cultivators will construct a cage around a plant and then cover it with cloth. The cage helps to hold the cloth away from the canes, which keeps them from bending beneath the weight.

As soon as night-time temperatures are consistently above freezing, it’s time to remove these. Gently uncover and deconstruct the frame underneath your covering. Be careful not to snap any canes in the process. 

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are a bit different, but the timing is about the same. If you live in a mild climate, it’s probably fine to leave your climbers in place. Just cover the roots to protect them, and if you are able, wrap them in frost cloth. 

In colder climates where you expect freezing winds, snow, and ice, it’s better to take extra precautions. Do this by removing the vines from their trellis or other support. Bend them and lay them on the ground, then cover them with a thick layer of soil and then mulch. 

In spring, be gentle about uncovering them. I recommend using a stiff rake to gently pull the mulch and soil away. Digging with a shovel can be disastrous, as it’s easy to slice through your canes. Then, do any pruning you desire and reattach them to their support. 

Container Roses

For roses in containers, winter protection is important. There is less soil in a container, so that means less insulation. If you can bring them indoors, this is the easiest way to protect them. Wait for them to go dormant, naturally, before you bring them in. You can return them to their spaces when the threat of frost has passed. 

If you don’t have space to bring them in, or they are too large to move, there are ways to insulate them where they stand. If you can, move them against a south-facing wall. This will absorb the most heat from the sun and will keep the space around it slightly higher at night. 

You can also place the pot in a cardboard box and fill in around and on top of it with insulating material like mulch, straw, dried leaves, or even newspaper. Mounding soil around the outside of the container will also offer some protection to the roots. 

As for the top of the plant, treat it as you would one in the ground. Cover it with a cloth or a rose cone to protect the canes. Reverse all of this in the spring, then your last expected frost date passes. 

After Care

Pruning while your rose is still dormant makes it easier to see and improve its overall shape. Remove any damaged or broken branches and wood that appears dried out or cracked. Cut limbs that cross over others or through the middle of the plant.

Make sure you use clean, sharp tools to make clean cuts that heal quickly. Remove any suckers from the ground, and then trim back all of your canes by about one-third of their length. This stimulates growth and improves flowering. Make your cuts on a diagonal, just above a bud.

Roses are heavy feeders, so as soon as they begin to break dormancy, it’s time to feed them. Give them an application of fertilizer made especially for roses, or use a balanced formula. As blooming time approaches, make sure they are getting less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium.