Potted roses are a huge hit whether you’re keeping them in the garden or bringing a little color indoors. They have a super long blooming season, come in just about every color imaginable, and are actually pretty low-maintenance. If you treat them right, these beauties can stick around for years! However, the secret to keeping them happy long-term is getting them through the winter safely.
How to Overwinter Your Potted Roses
The main thing to remember is that potted roses aren’t fans of freezing temperatures. When roses are in containers on a patio, there’s a real risk of the entire root ball freezing solid. Those delicate roots just can’t handle the frost, and if they freeze, your rose won’t bounce back in the spring. Plus, those pretty ceramic or terracotta pots can crack when it gets too cold. To keep everyone safe, you’ll want to start your winter prep around mid-November, before the temps really start to tank. Here’s your game plan:
- Elevate your pots by placing them on an insulating base, like a thick piece of wood or a slab of Styrofoam.
- Move the pots to a spot shielded from the wind—tucked against a house wall or under a porch is perfect.
- Wrap the pot itself in several layers of bubble wrap or heavy-duty garden fleece and tie it securely.
- Give the “bud union” (that’s the bump where the rose is grafted) some extra love by mounding a fresh layer of soil or compost over it. This protects the dormant “eyes” of the plant.
- Cover the top of the soil and the base of the rose with dry leaves, brush, or evergreen branches.
- You can usually peel back these layers once we hit the end of March.
If you want something a bit more aesthetic than bubble wrap, you can use reed mats, willow screens, or bamboo fencing. Just stuff any gaps with wood wool or dry autumn leaves. The goal is a nice, thick “winter coat” for your plant.
If you have the space, you can also move your potted roses into a frost-free, cool, and dark room for the winter. Great spots include:
- Unheated sunrooms
- Frost-free garages
- Cool basements
- An unheated greenhouse
Just make sure they aren’t sitting in a draft. Even though they’re resting, they’ll still need a little water every now and then so the soil doesn’t bone-dry. You can skip the fertilizer entirely during the winter. Once the threat of frost has passed in mid-May, your roses can head back outside. Just be sure to introduce them to the sun and fresh air gradually so they don’t get “sunburned!”
