Re: overwintering roses in NH

Anne,

Many roses over winter just fine without a lot of special care. If you are concerned you can put a wire cage around the roses and fill loosely with leaves or shredded leaves. But you should also include some mouse bait. I'm not sure if mice will eat roses, but they damage a lot of other plants and these little leaf filled condos will attract critters looking for a place to spend the winter.

I don't do anything special with my roses here in zone 5, northern, Ohio. This winter I'm not even going to trim them back until early spring. Unpruned I figure the buds that I am most concerned with saving will be better protected from freeze damage if I leave the rest of the plant untrimmed for now.

What it means to be a member of the Backyard Growers Group

-Mike McGroarty
Zone 5, northern Ohio