Lawn and Landscape Message Board
Submit Your Question or Comment Here
If you are interesting in sending us a question or commenting on a particular entry, please send us an email by clicking the link above. Please be advised that not all submissions will be posted on the Ryan Lawn and Tree Website.
August 1, 2005
How do I prepare a rose tree and hibiscus tree for winter?
The graft of a tree rose is the most vulnerable point and must be protected from freezing. If the rose is in a container, move the pot into a shed or unheated garage. Monitor for water once a month or so. If this is not the case, you need to tip the rose. Dig a trench on one side of the rose. Use a spade to cut the roots on the side opposite the trench. Leaving the support stake in place and the remaining roots undisturbed, tip the rose and lay it in the trench. Hold the trunk in place with two stakes and cover with six inches of soil. Stand the rose back up in the spring when the forsythia and pussywillows are in bloom. If you are unable to tip the rose, create a cage around the rose using stakes and chicken wire. Fill the cage with well-packed straw and cover with burlap. Remove one cold weather dangers have passed.
If you have a sunny garden room available, move the hibiscus inside. Otherwise, stop fertilizing it in September and reduce water until the leaves begin to fall. Before frost, bring the plant inside and place it in a cool (not freezing) place where it gets some light. Keep the roots moist in the winter. In the spring, after danger of frost has passed and weather has warmed, bring it outside and prune as needed. Resume watering and fertilizing.