No, you are absolutely not screwed.

Technically, snow at these low temperatures is actually a good thing — the temperature inside a snow cone can be about 5 degrees warmer. And this is just the first day of the cold snap, correct?

The coming days look much nicer and “warmer,” so I would just do your full routine tomorrow. If you have any empty pots, I’d pop them over the roses for one night as a little extra protection. You’re totally fine.

I don't know how many people have posted here over the years that they couldn't do their normal winterizing routine for some reason, and then found out in the spring that it didn't make any difference.

Thanks, yeah--it was in the 20s when we got the snow on 11-29, but since then it's been like I said a low today of about 14° & low 20s prior to that for a number of days.

Nick: 2 years ago, almost to the day, someone here told you how to proceed.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6415837/winterizing-rosebushes-in-december-help

That advice was not followed this year.

Though an engagement should come upon a young girl as a surprise, your 11/29 snow should not have come as a surprise to you. It was much talked about, both on 11/28 and on 11/27.

It’s now less than 2 months till Groundhog Day.

rifis, No need to be rude. The snow may have been talked about, but the weather people aren't always correct with how much or any for that matter. ALSO, the very low temps were my concern, not the snow. I try not to be a pest & repeat--but you have no idea what someone may be going through in their personal life where they might not have remembered. Try to be kind, it's not that hard.

I did not have the SAME situation back on the post 2 years ago. It was 'flip-flopped'. I didn't want to winterize when it was too warm, with concerns. This has been an abnormal 14-15 degree temps the beginning of December & 20s in last part of November. I can't just leave them be. I have lost rosebushes that were not protected.

Paul Barden, my 10 rose bushes range from over 33 years old to the youngest, which is about 10 years old. They are healthy & don't have room for more. I never did the cones, but the collars have been great for my bushes. Thank you.

Here in Minnesota, some people swear by concrete blankets to winter protect their roses. This is the first year I am experimenting with it with some potted seedlings and some crown hardy modern roses. I will be interested to see how much cane is green in the spring.

Josg, good luck! Did our winterizing today.

Survival of the Fittest for my roses this winter. Tonight and tomorrow night suppose to be in single digits. For various reasons my roses didnt get the winter mulch put on…🤦🏻‍♀️

Well, glad I did it cuz it is 6° today & predicted for days. Like I said, I have lost bushes over the years, so I winterize.

I would rest a lot better if I had mine winterized!

I've lost more roses to winterization than I have to winter. It's the warm, wet spells that get you.

kentucky_rose, hopefully they will be fine. Maybe you can still throw some around the base, long Winter ahead.

Starting Tuesday, suppose to be some temps in 40’s and 50’s for at least a few days. Window of opportunity? Or will damage be already done in the 2 frigid days? I have over 100 bushes and need a load of mulch.

kentucky_rose, It's so hard to say, but I guess I would try since this is just the beginning of the severe cold. Certainly can't hurt. I know many obviously don't agree with me about the winterizing, but I have one rose bush that has been here when we bought our home 33 years ago, a few about 9 years old, the rest between 15-20 years old.

@kentucky_rose zone 6, to what zone are your roses rated? I've only ever lost those whose graft wasn't sufficiently buried and those were only killed back as they were own root. Anything rated zone 5 and above didn''t experience much, if any, die-back.

My bushes are prob zoned 5, 6, and 7. I do have some on fort. root stock. I guess I’m a little paranoid. Time will tell.

I'm going to go ahead and be that person that supports others that make observations:

rifis was NOT being rude. Just pointing out that the advice already and was not followed. I bet you can't even actually name what was rude and why.

Most people that ask advice aren't really seeking advice at all. They are seeking validation for decisions that they've already made.

"Flip-flopped" is absolutely meaningless does not make a difference, and attempts to use mental gymnastics for justification. How long have you lived in Milwaukee? Has your "climate change" suddenly allowed the garden success of Teas and Noisettes? Are cold snaps and real winter now a surprise in WISCONSIN?

I'm going to support rifis because I see nothing rude about the statement, I see somebody pointing out people that seek advice, do not follow it, and then come back and ask the same thing again, and then that person wants to take exception and act like a victim. Waa waa little sheep, have you any wool?

I've been ganged up on enough times with people here that have the hive mind that I don't mind being a contrarian. Stand up for yourselves and don't let people push you around because they want to pretend to be victims. Example prime? Covid. I was right and they here were wrong. They just couldn't bear the thought of not obeying what their television said.

Also, as madgallica said essentially, winterization is a joke, it's not going to make much difference up here in the far north, and you're going to cause more problems than you solve by burying everything under wet materials were fungi and bacteria may fester and destroy your roses.

It's almost cute when folks here say, "Did you winter protect?"

No, I didn't, and others that actually KNOW don't either. It's a complete waste of time to even attempt something like the Minnesota tip.

Either plant your California girls as annuals in these geographical locations where they cannot possibly survive the winter, or, actually seek winter hardy varieties that are going to thrive and succeed in your climate and environment.

If they are once blooming? Who cares! Anyone that would adore their lilac, forsythia, or any of the glorious spring bulbs for their one amazing display in springtime but would dare to poo poo once blooming roses are nothing but hypocrites.

No, the weather people aren't always right, but I have had snow by Halloween if not before where I live. If you've lived where you do for at least a few years, you don't have a valid excuse to pretend like you don't know how the weather is going to be or what it's going to turn out as. I always get a huge variety here in the heart of the Great lakes even though we are moderated versus places like Wisconsin. If I suddenly moved away down south in Dixie, or, God forbid like the dream I recently had, moved to California with it's incredible range of microclimates, then not knowing what to expect and seeking advice is reasonable. You don't know what you don't know. However; having lived in southern Central Michigan for nearly four decades grants me the experience, knowledge, and wisdom to how our weather patterns are going to play out as overall regardless of predictability.

Happy gardening and make it make sense!

Steve

Steve, the person, was rude. Honestly? Maybe I should say, snarky, sarcastic? Waaa waaa, little sheep, have you any wool? Really? There is a way of dealing with people in a civil way. You have your opinions, as does everyone else. As of this post, I will no longer be posting on this site. I know that will make various people happy.

Brrrrrr!

I've known about how the Big Lakes help us over here on this side of our large freshy ponds, but seeing it presented with colour coding and noted temperatures really delivers for my understanding.

Nick Joseph, please consider moving, and joining us the Up North's Banana Belt! We definitely have those that will wear shorts on the 45°F days! Bust out the swimwear!

I've done a little poking around, and Michigan has the second longest amount of coastline of any state but Alaska, and our agricultural diversity is second only to and right behind that of California! It's pretty groovy here in THE Great Lakes State. Michigan.

I've seen modern rose bush hybrids much better (larger, more successful) in a town like Saugatuck, MI than I have in California or Hillsdale, MI.

Horses for courses of course!

Steven

@nickjoseph Milwaukee, WI, please dont leave.

Wow, it's getting a little spicy on this forum! Nickjoseph- I live a little bit south of you in Northern Illinois and I used to winter protect my roses too. I agree with Paul and Mad Gallica- winter protection caused more problems than the winter itself. Mainly for me because of fungus and mice that would live in those rose cones, or mulch, or whatever I used and would girdle my poor roses. For the past 20 years or so, I haven't bothered with winter protection and haven't lost more than one or maybe two each year (out of about 500 plants) The ones that I have lost were weak and spindly, or were too super charged with nitrogen going into winter and I was happy to replace them with something else. I try to back off the nitrogen starting in September to get them into hibernation mode a little, it seems to work.

I usually cover my climbers temporarily when we have very cold nights, like tonight and tomorrow (2–4°F). Since I now have many very tender first- and second-year roses, I cover them with towels on those nights as well. I’ve never lost roses to frost, but one winter I had to cut my climbers back heavily and had almost no blooms. Since then, I always throw linens over them.

These are my freshly planted roses before the snowstorm.

Al Mitchell, I never used cones (rose bushes were too wide for those, didn't like covering them completely either). I use collars with about 1/3 of mulch over base. Always have had bushes come back beautifully.