I think I messed up bad, this was the first year I winterized roses (I live in
Michigan). I cut them down to about 6 inches from the ground and then placed
old plastic pots on top of them. I then cut slits in the top and filled them
with black pine mulch. When I removed the pots yesterday I found the roses in
terrible shape, the stems seem to all have rotted. I think I really screwed up

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

These were all new shrubs planted in summer, so this was their first winter.

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in his
mouth.

Sure sounds like you did. You created the perfect environment for bacterial
and fungal rot!!

What possessed you to do what you did?

Why didn't you just leave the plants alone?


SBHCOM wrote in message
...
I think I messed up bad, this was the first year I winterized roses (I
live in
Michigan). I cut them down to about 6 inches from the ground and then
placed
old plastic pots on top of them. I then cut slits in the top and filled
them
with black pine mulch. When I removed the pots yesterday I found the
roses in
terrible shape, the stems seem to all have rotted. I think I really
screwed up

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a dumb man something to stick in
his
mouth.

I think I messed up bad, this was the first year I winterized roses (I
live in
Michigan). I cut them down to about 6 inches from the ground and then
placed
old plastic pots on top of them. I then cut slits in the top and filled
them
with black pine mulch. When I removed the pots yesterday I found the
roses in
terrible shape, the stems seem to all have rotted. I think I really
screwed up

This does not sound like something one just makes up on the fly so I have to
ask -- who/what told you to do this?

To properly winterize your roses (assuming you really need do anything)
simply covering the bulbous part of the stem (the bud union) with mulch will
generally suffice. In more severe climates, you may need to use a rose
collar and/or protect the canes however even these solutions do not
completely cover the entire plant with mulch. Additionally, timing on this
is important as well.

My roses have already begun to leaf out and grow stems (haven't seen any
buds yet) and I'm down in zone 6a. If you haven't seen any growth by the
end of the month, then I'd say it's time to dig them out and buy
replacements.

James

In more severe climates, you may need to use a rose
collar and/or protect the canes however even these
solutions do not completely cover the entire plant
with mulch.

I don't have to worry about this anymore, but am I
mistaken in thinking that the white coverings that
some people place over their roses (are those the
collars you're talking about??) are more to keep
it from being smashed/broken by the weight of the
snow than to keep it 'warm'? Even when living in
Minnesota, I never covered my roses and they did
pretty well. Didn't lose any of the 3 large and 6 or
seven miniatures that I had over the course of 3
winters.

Tracey