Featured Rose
Polynesian Punch is a Floribunda rose from the garden of Dianne Nail. It displays non-stop orange to yellow and pink blooms. A very compact rose, it makes a great container plant.
Winter Rose Care
Some roses are still blooming since we have had a late Fall with milder temperatures. That does not mean that your roses are not preparing for winter dormancy! Oklahoma winters have been milder in past years so our roses do not need the protection that roses further north need. However, if you have the roses in containers, they will need to be more protected than if in the ground. This means moving them nearer to your house on the south or east side, adding 2-3 inches of mulch to the container, and most importantly, keeping them watered.
Watering
Roses do not need as much water as they do during the active growing season. They do need to be watered occasionally especially if we have a long dry period.
Pruning
Do not prune or fertilize your roses until spring. The exception is if you have very tall stems. These should be cut off to prevent damage from the wind or snow during the winter months.
Protecting your Roses
Clean up your rose beds – remove any dead petals, broken stems, and debris. Spread one to two inches of pine, cedar, pine straw or cypress mulch around your roses. This will offer protection from fungi and insect eggs overwintering in the soil, as well as extreme changes in the temperature.
Planning for Spring
This winter is a good time to start thinking about adding new roses or rose beds to your landscape. We will be giving you ideas on rose selections and guidelines for planning and planting those new roses later.
Submitted by Judith Carter, Tulsa Rose Society and Dianne Nail, Master Gardener & Tulsa Rose Society
Dianne has been a faithful member of the Bring Back the Roses/Rose Committee for 10 years. She leads the Rose Festival’s Rose Show and helps in all our many projects.
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