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1. Complete winter protection, failing to winter protect may result in loss of some roses or
making them slow to start growing in the spring.
2. Add a good dressing of organics in established beds. Some rosarians advocate adding gypsum
to the soil. Gypsum will break down heavy clay soil and will help aerate the soil. It will not change
the pH of the soil.
3. Now is a good time to check the ph of your rose beds and add lime if needed. Ground dolomite
limestone is best; it acts slowly, lasts a long time, does not over alkalize the soil and adds
magnesium.
4. If some of your rose bushes have grown overly tall and in danger of being blown over, they
can be topped somewhat and should be staked.
5. Divide miniature roses that have grown too thick and are no longer flourishing.
6. Keep potted roses . Roses in beds will not need as much water as in the spring, but do a home
or building, which will protect from the north wind and keep warm by the sun.
7. Remember to take care of your gardening tools by rubbing linseed oil or paste wax into the
handles.
8. Store pesticides safely and protect from freezing. Put them away from sunlight and out of
reach of children and pets.
9. Evaluate your rose bushes; you may want to replace poor performers. When considering new
varieties, carefully scan the show results (RoseShow.com).
When you see certain varieties winning over and over, you will get an idea on what roses will do
well. Look through the various rose catalogs or browse on-line and begin placing your orders for
spring delivery. Some of the new varieties may already be in short supply.
10. You may want to check with fellow rosarians for suggestions and the varieties that performed
well for them.
11. This is also a great time to research for alternative solutions for the care of your roses. There
is a lot of reading material and the internet to find “green” solutions to many of our problems.
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