Gee April, I would if I was you. I am in zone 8 and I do! In mt first years growing roses here, I would lose one or two and even more one year. Have not lost one since I we have been piling mulch over the crown. It has paid off for us. Sounds like your winter temps are about like here. If I considered the micro climate of our property because of the conditions - no winter sun because of the dense trees and very damp, it probably would be a zone 7, unlike other gardens in our area which I would say are true 8s.
Pauline

I mulch mostly to keep the earthworms happy.

April, I just finished putting down mulch last weekend before the cold snap. Personally, I don't think it matters when as long as plants have insulation for heat and cold.

Carla

Oh and in zone 5 I don't mulch (extra) until I winter protect....after Thanksgiving. My crowns are a bit deeper in zone 5.

April

Like you, the winters here can be mild with the threat of snow and freezing rain coming more in Feb and March.

The majority of my roses are 'english' shrub roses on own-root. I lay down compost to feed the soil, newspaper, and then mulch every fall to protect for winter but more for weed control in the spring. My containers roses just get a layer of compost and if it looks like it will freeze I cover them or put them in a coldframe.

I would recommed laying down mulch in your area but don't go overboard.

Liz

Thanks for all the input. Now comes the hard part....the seemingly endless waiting on spring! April

This is an interesting post...I had considered NOT mulching this fall/winter because I thought the mulch around the canes may encourage canker. Any thoughts on this? I'm concerned with canker especially with my younger Teas.

Robert

In my experience, *anything* touching canes over the winter can cause canker. I've had trouble with certain roses (Autumn Sunset and Jeanne Lajoie specifically come to mind) that got canker underneath a handful of oak leaves that had blown over the during the winter.

The potential problem with adding a heavy layer of summer mulch at this point in time is if voles move into the garden beds. After mulching heavily with shredded leaves last fall, I think I did have more trouble with voles this past summer. So this year, the leaves are going into piles and spread next spring.

I don't put it around the canes, I just mulch 2-3 inches out.

Carla, whose weeds had to be stopped!