Ever since the beginning of September, I have been letting my roses run wild!  The sun has been moving farther and farther to the south and the roses have been reaching for the light.  I have cut some spectacular roses for the house and for friends over the last couple of months, but I haven’t done any deadheading or cutting back because I want my roses to get the idea that winter is coming.  This time of the year, the gardens are a mess and the roses have gotten very tall and rangy.  All of a sudden, we are in November, and the end of the growing season is approaching.

Time For Fall Pruning

After a really hot and long growing season, it has finally gotten cold.  Here in my little north-central Connecticut town, the weather is changing and we have seen the first few snow flurries.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and now is the time to cut back the roses to prepare for winter.  We will inevitably get some snow and ice, and if I didn’t cut back, I know that my rose canes would be crushed by the weight of the winter precipitation.  Therefore, I call fall pruning ‘gross pruning.’  There is nothing fancy about it; I basically cut everything back so the snow and ice can fall through the canes and hit the ground without splintering my rose canes.  In the spring, I will prune again, to an outward-facing bud on the cane.  I call that ‘fine pruning,’ and we’ll talk about that in April.

How Far Do I Cut Back, and What Do I Use?

As I stated before, this is not complicated pruning.  I like to use my sharp Felco pruners, but the other thing I have discovered is that you can use really sharp hedge cutters.  My husband has some super-sharp battery-powered hedge trimmers and they do a great job.  He will cut the climbing roses tight to their supports.  Hybrid teas and floribunda roses will be cut down to about 18”.  Mini and miniflora roses will be cut to about a foot.  Shrub roses like David Austins will be cut back by at least a third.  We will then collect all the canes and put them in the trailer to take to the dump.  I will then rake out all the gardens by hand and scoop up all the leaves and other stuff and add it to the debris in the trailer.

Adding Some Winter Protection for the End of the Growing Season

I begin my winter protection program when I plant my roses.  I am in zone 6 and we regularly go below zero in the wintertime.  In order to keep my roses safe in our area, I always plant the crowns or bud unions of my roses 3-4” below soil level. All good things come from the bud union of the plant, and 3-4” of cane is also protected.  Even if we had a horrible winter (meaning no snow cover, lots of wind, etc.) and my rose died to the ground, I know it would resprout from those protected canes.

If your roses are not planted as deep as mine are, you can mound up around the bushes with some leftover mulch or soil brought in from another area.  Another thing that works great is pine straw from big old white pine trees.  Don’t add any mulch, soil, or leafy material as winter protection until there is some frost in the ground.  If you apply it too early, the voles will think it’s a great place to nest for the winter and they may strip all the green skin off your rose canes.  Better to wait until it gets a little colder.

In Gratitude

I am so thankful for such a successful, beautiful garden this summer!  Our blooming season began in May and I cut beautiful roses right up until the beginning of November.  I love watching the colors change all season and the heady fragrances fall roses deliver.  I am grateful for all the people who came to visit the gardens this year and am looking forward to my winter rest.  My roses and I worked hard all season, and our winter respite is so welcome!  My roses will be ready to jump in the spring, and I’ll be jumping into the garden with them.  I am wishing you a peaceful seasonal break, and a beautiful holiday season to come.