Help your roses survive the winter

Hybrid teas, grandiflora and floribunda roses need protection to make it through the winter.

One way is to mound up soil, from a bag or elsewhere in the garden, or fine mulch around the base of the rose plants. The mound should be 10-12 inches high.

Fold newspaper sections into long strips and staple them together to make a collar to contain the soil or mulch. Bags of pine bark mulch are lightweight and easy to handle and, in the spring, you can just spread the mulch around the plants when it’s time to uncover them in April. Long canes may be tied together or, for climbers, to the fence.

If you’re using rose cones, cut back the canes to fit inside and remove remaining leaves.