This summer I lanscaped my yard with knock-out roses. How do I keep them from freezing this winter? Any ideas

Question

I live in In. so I think we are zone 5 or 6.

Answer 1

Knockouts are crown hardy to cold hardiness zone 4. You do not need to protect them in winter to survive. Chiken wire and leaves are good if you are going to protect them. Evergreen balms are even better. Use anything that allows good air flow and does not trap moisture; you do not want the crown to rot! The time to do this is just after the ground freezes.

They are not completely stem hardy in cold hardiness zones 4 & 5. They will suffer some stem die-back if not protected, but this is not a problem to the health or bloom quantity of the knockout as they do best with some yearly early spring pruning to maintain good, dense form.

The rabbits are going to be a bigger problem than the cold. You may want to place a temperary wire fence (chicken wire or hardware mesh) around your knockouts to prevent the rabbits from eating the stems. The first year I had them planted the rabbits ate them down to the ground.

Do NOT use the foam huts sold to protect roses. These do NOT have good air flow and the winter sun raises the inside temps. to the point where the plant can prematurely come out of winter dormancy and be negatively affected by extream night-time temperatures.

Answer 2

Mulch roots and stems with mushroom manure or leaves about 10inches high. When using leaves cover with compost or soil to keep them from being blown away by the wind. In the spring spread this compost mulch around the root area. It is best to take the leaves used for mulching to the composter.

Answer 3

When the roses are past bloom, cut them off to the first branch, that way they wil be ready for winter.

Answer 4

Put chicken wire or tomato wire around them and fill them up with leaves. Looks really stupid from the street, but it works.