The following is a general description of rose care activities to consider in the winter. If you run into unusual problems, don't hesitate to contact a Consulting Rosarian. If there are questions not answered in this text, we strongly recommend contacting an ARS Consulting Rosarian.  For more in-depth information on plant problems and the details on procedures for optimizing plant performance in Metropolitan Washington DC, it is highly recommended that the viewer subscribe to our monthly newsletter, The Capital Rose, jointly produced by the Potomac Rose Society and The Arlington Rose Foundation.  

By mid-October, in the Washington DC area, the rose gardener should begin to prepare his or her rosebushes for winter. He or she should stop fertilizing, after August or possibly mid-September, to no longer encourage plant growth and bloom production. The only exception is bone meal or potassium, to promote root growth, which may be added with the fall planting of any potted rosebushes into the ground.

By mid-October, the rosarian should: 1) stop pruning, because this encourages the plant to send out new growth. By not pruning, the bush will more easily go dormant, which it needs to do to survive the cold winter. In the mid-Atlantic region, the time for hard pruning is spring - specifically, about March, when the forsithia blooms, because pruning encourages new growth. Likewise, in fall, let the roseblooms form "hips," which are small round fruit with seeds, about the size of a cherry, which will turn from green to orange or red. Seed formation also encourages the plant to go dormant.

2) over the next four weeks, clean up the rose garden of debris, especially blackspotted leaves. Fungus diseases can overwinter and their spores will infect bushes again next spring. Some people remove leaves from their bushes. Others just rake up fallen leaves from the rosebed and pull occasional weeds.

3) over the next four weeks, as the only exception to the prohibition on pruning. trim tall bushes to about four-to-five feet, so they don't rock in the wind. With climbers, anchor their long canes, so they do not blow in the wind or bend under snow and ice.

4) after about four to six weeks (mid- to late November), mulch the rosebushes. Place about a two- to four-inch layer of ground oak and other tree leaves, mixed with composted pine wood chip nuggets in the rose bed. Very tender roses, such as The McCartney Rose, Color Magic, St. Patrick, and Marilyn Monroe, and such as certain china and tea Old Garden Roses, may need to be protected further. Consider placing a black plastic pot with the bottom removed or a wire cage around the bush and filling it with oak and other leaves. Otherwise, mound mulch wood chips and soil a little higher. One wants to prevent desiccation from wind and damage from extreme cold. Don't mulch the tender rosebushes earlier or chipmunks, rabbits, etc. may make themselves at home to eat the tops. In case nurseries are sold out of mulch by late November, consider buying it earlier and storing it in the garage till needed.

5) over the next four to twelve weeks (by mid-January), request catalogs and consider new roses for next year. Which roses would you like to try? What colors and fragrances would you like to add? Be realistic, as you must dig holes for and plant these new bushes. But have fun. Let your imagination run.

That concludes the fall and winter rose advice. For any particular questions regarding rosebushes in metropolitan Washington DC, I'd recommend contacting a Consulting Rosarian. The Consulting Rosarians know the Washington DC environment, and they have faced a variety of problems, so they should be able to help you. (Click on "Consulting Rosarians" on this web-site, for a list with phone numbers.) For more information and up-to date news, consider subscribing to our award-winning monthly newsletter, The Capital Rose, jointly produced by the Potomac Rose Society and The Arlington Rose Foundation. For new members who are not members of the American Rose Society, the ARS has begun a promotion of offering four free months in the American Rose Society, with two issues of their magazine, to anyone who joins a local rose society. This is a worthwhile incentive.

If you have any questions about the spring care, please contact a Consulting Rosarian. (Click on "Consulting Rosarians" on this web-site, for a list with phone numbers.) The Consulting Rosarians in Washington, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland know the local weather and soil conditions and they will be glad to help you.

In addition, the reader is encouraged to look at The Capital Rose, the award-winning membership newsletter published jointly by the Potomac Rose Society and The Arlington Rose Foundation. It describes current rose care problems and how to solve them, among other topics. Further information on membership in the Potomac Rose Society can also be found on this website.

Finally, should there be any questions on the past year's performance or questions in planning for next year, I recommend contacting a Consulting Rosarian.  (Click on "Consulting Rosarians" on this web-site, for a list with phone numbers.)  The consulting Rosarians are faced with such a wide variety of problems that they may be very familiar with your particular problem.

I would be happy to receive any question on particular cases.  The email is aldeco@verizon.net

"Bob"

(Robert Alde - Emeritus Consulting Rosarian - American Rose Society)