"Diane" wrote in message
...
I have two miniature roses at the end of my driveway that are in decorative
pots. They have done exceptionally well particularly after I cut them back
and feed them. They have provided a wealth of blooms and I am so pleased
with them.

I need some advice about how to prep them for winter. The pots are
moveable. Can I leave them in the pots and move them into our garage for
the winter? Can/should I cover them? (I live in upstate New York above
Albany so it can get bitterly cold here in the winter). Should I cut them
back and feed them just before I bring them inside? When is the best time
to bring them in?

Garage is fine. I have several shrub (not minis) in
pots and when it gets really cold (not often here)
I just move them into the garage.

Minis are very hardy and shouldn't need a lot of
special care. It's helpful to water occasionally so
soil doesn't dry out, but I wouldn't feed any more.
Wait until they start growing again in the spring.

I wouldn't cut them back. They'll probably go
dormant and you can do some trimming then, or
wait until spring. Minis can literally be trimmed
with a hedge trimmer although I tend to use the
fussy method of trimming individual canes.

Are there repotting tips someone can share? How do I know when it's the
time to repot to larger containers. At this point I don't intend to plant
them in the ground. They seem to still have plent of room to grow in their
containers.

I think the advice is to repot every three years, not
so much for size (minis stay small, after all) but
because of the dissolved minerals that tend to
collect in the soil. You might do a web search
to see about that.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I would appreciate any
assistance.

D.

Good luck.

Gail
near San Antonio TX Zone 8