Overwintering

13 years ago

Hi, this year my sister and I decided to try 3 miniature roses in pots. After much research we got Rise 'n Shine, Black Jade and Climbing Rainbow's End and expected to like all of them quite a bit. All 3 are in approx. 24 inch containers, the climber is in a grow box with a 4 foot arch trellis attached. Turns out Rise 'n Shine was not to my taste so I passed it on to my mom, who thinks it's lovely. Black Jade is really pretty, great bloom form and doing great. Rainbow's End is very healthy and has nearly filled it's trellis, but has bloomed little and the flowers are kind of...well, they are dull *sigh*. My plan for these over the winter is to take them into my unheated garage and store them up off the floor. I've read to keep them slightly damp. Will they loose their leaves, like an in the ground rosebush? Missouri winters can vary from 70 degrees one day to 20 the next but rarely get below that. On the warmest days I plan to check on the garage since it can get very warm, on the coldest should I consider a temporary electric heater? Any comments about these roses specifically...esp about Rainbow's End would be appreciated. I want to like it since the foliage is SO healthy but may end up getting rid of it next year if it doesn't grow on me.

Thanks,
Ziya

The pics are from May 20, but I enjoy all the pics people post and wanted to share these.

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Comments (5)

ziyakr
Original Author
13 years ago
and here's a picture of the climber
seil zone 6b MI
13 years ago
HI, Ziya! I had Rise n Shine and it did not winter for me. I have the regular Rainbows End and mine does not bloom a lot either but with a climber you sometimes have to give them a few years to mature before you get a good bloom on them.

Your wintering plan sounds fine. The thing you want them to do is go dormant and stay dormant so do not use that heating blanket. You don't want them to keep leafing out repeatedly. That will just use up all the stored energy the rose has before you can get it back out in the spring. You want them to stay dormant until spring really arrives for good. You don't need to keep them wet but just watered a little about once a month. Yes, the leaves should shrivel up but they may not drop off. I usually have to pull what's left off in the spring.
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Joel Morris
13 years ago
I'm here in zone 7, but I think I'm more in zone 8 because our winters are getting very mild. Anyway, my roses, ALL my roses, mini and all, keep their leaves all winter long, so I'm just gonna leave mine on the front porch or put them in the window in the unheated utility building and see how they do. Of course, the ones in the ground do great. Hope you have good luck.
ziyakr
Original Author
12 years ago
Well, kindof a mixed bag. Black Jade and Rise'n'Shine did not survive the winter. Cl. Rainbow's End and the grocery store minis are thriving, even though I've been very mean to them this spring. They are all planted in the ground now, rather than containers. Once I get the mulch down I'll post some pics of the grocery store minis, I liked them so much I made them the main plants in my center bed! I wish the lavender ones had lived but I comforted myself by getting a gorgeous Ebb Tide, it smells SO GOOD!
seil zone 6b MI
12 years ago
With the winter we had all and all you didn't do too bad. I lost 63 roses this winter. All but 4 minis died, 3 in the ground and 1 potted one lived.

Looking forward to your pictures!