Meant to say those temps were night time temps.

Judy, I guessing that your soil temps are well above freezing, so if you cover your new minis at night, the warmth of the soil will keep your minis protected from the cold air. Larry

Thanks Larry, The soil is still very workable and usually stays workable during most of our winters. I was hoping since the soil didn't freeze very deep for us that they would be fine. Thanks a bunch, Judy

If they were mine, I would just leave them in the ground and mulch fairly heavily to protect them. I think it will depend on how established your little plants are. Even in my zone, I only plant miniatures in late spring to early summer. I start mine off in a one gallon pot and when the pot is full of roots, I plant them out in the garden. I arrived at this method after a few years of growing miniatures. I find they seem to grow better when the roots have no competition and they are planted in a friable, sterile potting mix. Of course I need to pay close attention to them when they are in the small pots, but since I use a slow release and organic mix fertilizer, they only require water on a regular basis. To each his own I suppose, but I highly recommend this method to everyone wanting to grow miniature roses.

Judy, got any of those coated X-mas gift bags? Put one over each rose at dark and take if off in the morning. Your roses will be fine. I do this with the new minis I've gotten in the fall and they make it through winter just fine every time the temps fall low or dip below freezing.

I'm of the school I've almost always planted minis straight into the ground, unless the place isn't ready yet, and they always do well.

Thanks Kayli and Leslie. The roots looked real established and they were nice size little plants. I was hoping they could be in the ground for three or four weeks before the first freeze but oh nooooooo. Anyway our dirt is still very workable so I am hoping the roots will be fine I was just not ready for the beautiful foliage to die off yet. I have covered them and will uncover them each morning and then repeat that process for three or four days til this madness is over with. Thanks, Judy