wintering a rose bush in a container inside

17 years ago

I was given a lovely rose bush for Mothers Day and because of the layout of my garden and the sun issue, I won't be able to see the rose blooming unless I look over the deck or am down off the deck in the backyard so I really wanted to keep it in a container and then bring it inside over the winter. This is not a miniature rose. Is this feasible and if so what will I need to do to keep this beauty alive all winter.

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Comments (5)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
17 years ago
Of course, it will need appropriate care and a good soil while it's containerized, but it will also need a cold rest period (dormancy) during the winter. You'd be well served to bury the container against a building, out of winter sun/wind or bring the container into an unheated garage. While there, you'd have to monitor soil moisture to be sure it doesn't dry out.

Al
john_4b
17 years ago
I agree, I would not try to overwinter a rose inside in a container. It will not bloom for lack of light, and dry out during the heating season, and will probably be dead by the following spring. This fall, bury the whole container outside against a building, and mulch it heavily once it freezes to keep it dormant until next spring.
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I think the general rule of thumb for overwintering is things that are hardy to two zones colder are hardy in containers in your zone. I think generally people with roses in containers here either move them into their garage, bury their pots in soil, insulate the containers by wrapping them with straw or move them closer to the foundation at least. Some people around here have a shelf down in their well for overwintering less hardy plants. In my old age, I have started to consider mature size when I purchase a container plant. I have a cactus in a 16 in. pot that is getting beyond my ability to move it each year. 5a and 5b are just a way to divide up the hardiness zones and make it a little more accurate. I'm not sure it helps, since plants aren't marked that way, but it is good to know if you are in the habit of trying to cheat on your zone. 5b is a little warmer than 5a. I think this might vary in different places in my yard actually, so it's good to know your property's properties as well.
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I leave my containerized roses out over winter and have for years and years. Last year was particularly cold with temperatures down almost to zero for many days in a row. That's very unusual for us. The only rose that was severly damaged enough to pitch was in a small (10")container. My best success with overwintering roses comes when I am able to move the pots to a wind protected site on the west or south side of my home. The radiated heat from the house adds just a few degrees of additional heat. The worst site is an eastern location. The roses are frozen overnight, and as the sun rises in the AM it strikes the frozen canes causing the cells to burst from the rapid warm up. Actually my in ground roses with a more northern exposure fared better during this unusual cold snap last year then did the ones facing east. Also, it is best to stop any fertilizing about 7 to 8 weeks before the average first frost date. Earlier then in ground roses. You want your pot roses to not be adding any new growth after late summer...As for sealing the canes, some people will say it's not necessary, but in my yard it certainly is. We've got the cane "driller" wasps, and if I miss a cane, they seem to be able to spot it right away.
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Sorry to be reviving an old thread, but I had some additional questions. First time I've posted on here; I've been primarily on the kitchen and bath forums. We live in Eastern WA state - zone 6a. We have had roses in containers that we overwinter with varying levels of success for the last 5 or 6 years. Our property is in unfenced deer country, but I really wanted some roses and they actually won't come on the front deck (amazingly). This is the first year that we haven't placed our roses in our unheated, uninsulated detached garage. We have them up off the deck ,in a sort of protected corner, with insulation around the pots themselves. I have watered them about once a month. My question is this: these roses, and I have only 2, never actually seem to go dormant. Even before when I would put them in the garage for the winter, they seemed to retain their leaves. This year I was sure I'd see the leaves get brown and fall off, since they were outside, but that hasn't really happened. It appears to me that I haven't killed them quite yet and I'd like to keep it that way. Here's what they look like right now: When we first started doing this, we successfully kept them for at least 3 or 4 seasons. Then, one year both bushes died. We replaced them, not with identical varieties, and the next year (maybe 2 years ago?) one died and one didn't. I've never pruned in the fall, having read it's better not to. Sorry this post is so long, and again I'm not sure I have a problem (yet), but was just wondering if anyone had any insight. The information in the posts above has been very helpful. Thanks.
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I agree with Jackie, it's too early to move them. Once it warms up and night time temps are consistently above freezing you can dig them out safely. Dig as big a root ball as you can handle and take off ALL of the garden soil from the roots. You can rinse the root ball under a hose to get it off. Try to save as many of the small white feeder roots as you can. Find the biggest pots you can (I always suggest plastic or resin ones, they're much lighter if you have to move them, and you will!) and put extra drainage holes in them. Fill them with good quality potting soil. You can not use top soil in pots. It's too heavy and the pots won't drain properly. Roses in pots usually require a little extra watering because they dry out quicker. They also need a little extra fertilizing because the nutrients wash out. In zone 7 it would be very iffy to try to keep them outside all winter unprotected. If you have a garage I would say store them in there. Just remember to water them at least once a month until you can get them back outside in the spring. If you have to winter them outside I would suggest putting them together against a sunny wall of your house and wrapping them with burlap and packing them with leaves. I do this for my rose pots here in zone 6 and it has worked very well.
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sephira
17 years ago
How much cold dormancy is needed (how cold and how long)?

I did the same thing as the OP, but I'm two zones colder. My rose is a hybrid tea rose that is not quite hardy enough for this zone. An "unheated garage" (actually, it would have to be a farm shed for me) could be 25* below zero. And digging a hole to bury anything is out of the question in this miserable clay soil (the whole reason for putting it in a container was to not have to chisel out a hole).

I was thinking maybe I could leave it out most of the fall and bring it in for an artifical spring before the really brutal part of winter sets in?.
bean_counter_z4
17 years ago
I've successfully wintered roses in zone 4. Leave them outside until they go dormant (temps in the mid 20's). Then you have to keep them in a cold place--attached unheated garage, unheated 3-season porch. Water 'lightly'. They will keep their leaves but be in a dormant state--they should not be growing at all. The spring is a difficult time because you want to start putting the rose outside in the sun during the day but bring it inside at night because the temperatures are still in the 20's at night. In zone 6 it won't be as difficult nor will you have to keep it inside as long.
diane_nj 6b/7a
17 years ago
I have both overwintered outside and kept them in an unheated garage. I agree with Al. Dormancy is fine in the unheated garage, in fact total darkness is preferred. The only issue is keeping the soil moist, you don't want them to dry out. I put them in the garage is there will be extended days when the temps are well below freezing. And that's just the newer plants, the most established stay out all of the time (this past winter, all of them stayed out, no losses).

wintering a rose bush in a container inside

Comments (5)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

john_4b

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bean_counter_z4

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