Roses are the Divas of the plant world, and you know how to treat a Diva! They want more space in their dressing room, the best lighting on stage, and a constant supply of good drinks and snacks. They demand an entourage, and that’s YOU. 

In the fall you can continue grooming the Divas by deadheading spent flowers. Don’t hesitate to cut stems to bring in the house, since in many areas winter is just around the corner, and we want to celebrate the flowering season when we can. 

Wait to do any major pruning until next spring, however. These plants are storing carbohydrates in their stems that they use for winter survival, so unless your climbing roses have long branches that will whip around in winter weather, don’t cut roses back now.

In general, the landscape roses (also called shrub roses) are less work than the hybrid teas. Although most of these don’t require deadheading for repeat flowering, doing so hastens second and third blooming.

Those who are growing hybrid tea roses in very cold climates may want to pour a bag of compost or composted manure over the base of the plant to protect the graft. This is better than hay or other mulch for a couple of reasons. First of all, mice can make a cozy winter home in hay or bark, and have their meals provided by the stems of your roses. (It happened to me…)  Secondly, if you use compost or manure, in the spring you can spread it out over the ground around the plant and you’ve already got your soil amendment done for the year. Two for one!

When we have our first frost at Poison Ivy Acres I always rush out first thing in the morning with my camera. I take photos of the frosted blooms in my garden, and celebrate both the passing growing season and the coming of winter. If you embrace the whole of it, all of the seasons, the flowers and the blackspot on the foliage, you’re saying “yes” to all of life.