I'm enterested in this subject also. We moved our hibiscus, cactus and other plants inside already. The rose bushes we put in a corner of the deck that has brick walls on two sides. Other plants that we wanted to over winter also are now in that area. We are going to cover them somewhat with some bark mulch.

How long do we continue to water them and do we cut back on the watering. If it snows or when it snows do we stop at that point. The walls will retain some heat from the sun so it should be a cozy corner to some extent.

Thanks

Paul,
Wow! Thanks! You actually gave me some ideas I didn't know before -- putting it away from wind! Do you know which is better -- keep it away from the wind, or keep it in the sun as much as possible? I can pull the plant into an alcove-like spot in my yard, where it will be protected by three walls within a 6 foot wide area, but it also rarely gets any sun. Where it is now, is where it can get the most sun, but it's also where it would get the most wind.

And, should I cover the pot itself with a contractor grade trash bag?

Lynn

Lynn Hi,

I am not really sure of any of this as it is only our 2nd year of container gardening. However, I did pick up some comments on this from the rose forum. As with most areas there are some thoughts one way and other thoughts another way so take your best choice as you see it.

I suspect that the warmer an area might be then the better for the plant. I am going to block as much wind as I can by putting a large cart we had built in front of the plants I care about. This is in addition to any additional pots where the plants are not saveable for next year. The wind chill can be quite severe so I would opt for decreasing the wind over sun. They still will get some general daylight while snoozing through the winter.

Again... just my best guess... next year will be interesting. Another tip from the rose forum was to give them a drink once or twice a month... once should be sufficient.

Paul

Paul,
With the first frost in the area having already taken place, so knowing that it would frost in the city soon too, I asked this same question on another container gardening message board, and got a pretty good answer, so wanted to add it here, for you, and for anyone else interested:

>>Hello, Lynn! I'm also in Zone 6 (Boston area) and garden on a 5th floor balcony. This year I planted a small rose bush (not a miniature, supposed to get about 2' tall) in a 12" plastic pot. I don't have a shed or any other outdoor space.

To the best of my knowledge, roses can take cold weather if they don't dry out. The worst thing is for the weather to warm up when the ground is frozen, because the branches need water but can't get it. The most vulnerable point is the graft if the rose is grafted(most are, mine isn't). When I had a garden (also zone 6) we mounded each rose bush with soil in winter to protect the graft.

My plan -- I'd appreciate comments -- is to leave the pot outside but move it to just outside the sliding glass doors, so it will be slightly warmer than the outdoor temperature. I'll continue to water it. If the weather gets really cold -- near 0°F -- I'll move the pot indoors but keep it next to the sliding door so it won't get too warm.Hopefully, this helps you as much as it helped me! Next year, hopefully, my rose still lives!

Got this response right after entering the last one. This sounds like it answers any question we ever had:
>>Bring in your miniature rose after the first cold snap.Prune the top back hard. Leave only 3-4 canes and no leaves. Dip the entire thing in soapy water and spray for critters. Clean the area thoroughly where your rosebush will sit with a 1:10 water and bleach solution to kill spider mites. Pot it up in a good potting mix.
Now for light. Roses need lots and even a sunny window isn't enough in winter. Plan on a grow light with a timer on 12-14 hours/day. However the heat coming through a sunny window can kill any plant in no time so make sure the temp isn't over 75 in the day nor less than 50 or so at night. Roses need good air circulation to prevent blackspot and spores so don't crowd them. A fan in the room is ideal. Room humidity needs to be 45-50%. Mist with room temp water several times a day. Check daily and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Roses dry out faster than most house plants.
Fertilize with a good commercial fertilizer as soon as growth starts and every two weeks. Use 1/2 strength of the recommended mix.
Watch for critters and spray at the first sign. Sit back and enjoy your blooms.
Sound like too much work? You really gotta love em to go through all that. If you leave them outside on the patio put them in a large box or container and line straw or salt hay between the container and the box. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of both containers and water occasionally throughout the winter. You can insulate several bushes in this manner by creating a wall around the pots and stuffing the insulation material around the pots. Goal is to keep the pots from breaking open in the freezing temps.
You can always take the easy route and order a nice mini from the Harry and David catalog this time of year. It will come in a few weeks with nice blooms and buds and your friends will never know