Chicago winters can be tough on roses. Some roses are quite hardy in our area, such as knock out types, drift types, and landscape/shrub roses. Other roses such as hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribunda roses need winter protection.
To protect roses for winter, Platt Hill Nursery recommends rose collars be put on the base of the shrub around mid-November. Rose collars are a plastic cylinder that clips around the bottom of the plant, no trimming of the plant is necessary to fit it on. Then fill the collar with mulch, such as our Platt Hill Nursery hardwood mulch. This will help insulate around the crown of the plant and help ensure that it survives our harsh winter.
Leave the collar on the plant until weather warms up in spring, usually early to mid-April is a good time. Then the mulch that was in the collar can be spread around the bed, which will help keep the weeds down and also help retain moisture during the summer months.
Rose Collars are available for purchase at you local Platt Hill Nursery.
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery.
