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KO's in zone 5/6 without winter protection

16 years ago

Does anyone in zone 5/6 grow KO or pink KO tree roses? I've been told by a Monrovia rep that they'll do fine w/o winter protection. I do have 2 that I've always overwintered in the garage but I'd like to put them in the ground and prefer not to have to tip them. I'm just wondering if any of you have just left them to Mother Nature. Thanks, ~bb

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Comments (9)

karl_bapst_rosenut
16 years ago
That's what I was told about my Polar Joy tree rose. It died over the winter. A replacement is potted and will be moved into an unheated greenhouse for the winter.
If the Monrovia rep. will give you a written guarantee to replace them if they die, go ahead and plant them. Although the plants may be hardy, the graft points may freeze and separate resulting in dead plants.
gardenfanatic2003
16 years ago
My sister's KO tree roses were not winter protected, and they did not make it through the winter. She lives in zone 5. I think with tree roses, you always have to provide winter protection unless you live in a very warm climate (like FL or southern CA).

Deanna
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My roses made it through our mild winter with very little dieback. My problem was deciding how much to prune, since they didn't really need to be pruned. And I did not provide any winter protection this year. Rosenut, I have bushes that the rabbits ate almost to the ground, but I'm not giving up on them. I had two Betty Boops last year that I almost dug up because the rabbits ate them up. I kept them and they were just fine. Charlie, my mom has two fairy roses that have never bloomed and they are going on their fourth year. I'm hoping she will let me get rid of them, but she keeps hoping they will bloom.
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OK, remember, you ASKED for it. Don't blame me when you're out of control like me :). SOUTH AFRICA..I know it's a flori, but it blooms nonstop. Ruffled, gorgeous yellow blooms that cover the bush in long sprays all summer It was in the back garden next to Dainty Bess. Great for cutting; lasts in the vase. PINK PEACE...huge, vivid pink blooms. RED INTUITION...this was on your list, remember? Order from Steve Singer @ Wisconsin Roses. CAMILLE PISARRO...a yellow creamy stripey. Love the coloration. Maybe add 'OUT OF AFRICA' for your MIL's garden since she wanted an orange? And pair it with some Tiki Torch coneflowers...you'd be glowing! That's a lot of orange. Enough enabling....I'm out of here. We have a date in the spring for you to come back to dig up some hostas, remember? -terry
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A few years I've left some canna tubers in the ground over the winter in zone 6 (typically varieties I wasn't very interested in saving). I think I got a good number to resprout and grow just one time (the bed was in an open location). It doesn't surprise me that people have success in a southern exposure up against the house or similar protected location in zone 6 (I've done well with Amorphophallus konjac and Nandina in such a spot). It'd also help to have exceptional drainage, and a covering of mulch would be a good idea too. I wouldn't depend on even this setting in the case of rare/expensive varieties though.
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Winter protection in zone 6 or lower... Seil, I'm looking at you!
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Comments (8)
I agree that wrapping climbers is more work than it's worth and can backfire by not helping much. In my zone 5 Nebraska windy windy climate with little snow cover, I do provide wind breaks at the edge of all my rose beds and around any roses that I've discovered are finicky. My method is a lazy one - I pinch the filled leaf bags from the curbs of folks in my neighborhood and stand them up around the more tender roses on the windy side or all around if feasible (not as likely for climbers). This creates effective "down coats" for the more tender roses and can buy me a zone's worth of protection without any moisture remaining next to the canes for risk of canker. In spring, I dump the leaves in the beds to replace the mulch that disintegrated over the winter, or pull the bags to a side spot for use later in the summer. Lazy mulching and weed protection too... Ameri2nal is right that you need to wait for this till the ground is frozen solid so that you don't get critters taking over your protection. For me, this is usually around Christmas. Don't worry about the cold leading up to that - you want them to go as dormant as they'll get, and you're mostly creating a windbreak. For your climbers, I've grown them all and by far the hardiest is Westerland. That one doesn't really need much protection, but as Seil says if you can keep surviving cane on a climber that's just more growth for the spring. Mel's Heritage is touchy at surviving even in zone 7, and it's a long shot even in a virtual zone 6 where I had mine (it died without even pretending to survive an average winter). If you protect only one, I'd try that one. Bleu Magenta has never gotten big enough to climb for me, and it also has died on me twice over the winter. Aschermittwoch has also died once, but I've got it in a different spot and we'll see. The goofy colored lavender and grey roses tend to be less hardy than other colors on average, so again you may be looking at some protection or replacing them with more reliable climbers for our zone. Hope this helps - it's worth a try regardless of whether you protect or not. Cynthia
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karenforroses
16 years ago
Tree roses are a different 'animal' than regular roses. Although I do not winterize my Knock Outs, I would keep them in the garage if they were grafted onto a standard.
barbie
Original Author
16 years ago

Thank you Karl, Deanna and Karen. That's what I was afraid I was going to hear. No, the rep's not guaranteeing anything, I'm sure. lol. I already over-winter about six now. I guess I'll be planting a couple of pots!
BTW Karl, will you be coming to the National convention? My garden's on tour and we've had every pest and pestilence possible this season(in spades). April brought a cold snap that killed some of my 14 yr. old Japanese maples, not to mention what it did to the roses. The Jb's were legion and now we're in the midst of a heatwave of almost a month of 95+ degree temps. I'm in a quandry of whether to spray for bs this round or not. My new bably leaves are getting crisped just from the incredible heat. Got any suggestions? ~Good gardening, ~bb
bean_counter_z4
16 years ago
In zone 5/4 (Central WI/IL border)I've had Knockout and Blushing KO for 4 years without any winter related problems. My church has 5 KO in the parking lot for 3 years. They're as common as spirea in commercial landscaping around here and I never notice any being replaced.
flower2sew
16 years ago
Barbie, I'll be there next month. Can't wait to see the gardens. I would love to meet Karl. You gonna be there Karl?
Dawn
karl_bapst_rosenut
16 years ago
No, I don't plan on going. I didn't register so if I went I'd have to stay at a motel away from the city center and follow the buses to the garden walk. Taking my scooter so I can get around, buying gas and making the trip is just too much for me. Money's tight and prices are too high, especially since Ford is dropping their health insurance for salaried retirees on Jan 1. We go to a health reimbursement plan and Medicare. The reimbursement will not quite pay for any medicare supplement or medigap insurance. I don't know how this will all wash out so I'm staying close to home and saving money.
Would love to meet you and visit your gardens.
barbie
Original Author
16 years ago
flower2sew, I'm happy you're coming, (please keep in mind what a terrible season we've had. lol)
bean_counter_z4, are you talking about tree roses?
karl, I understand completely. Actually, I had the pleasure of meeting you at a couple of conventions- in Atlanta and Philadelphia a few years back. You'll be missed, you have such a wealth of knowledge about gardening (and a very nice guy). Thank you all. ~barbie
flower2sew
16 years ago
Barbie,
I think that you have had more rain than us this past month so I am sure yours will look better than mine. Hope it cools off before then.
Dawn

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