What kind of mulch do I use for roses in the winter for my Philadelphia garden?
Answer
After the ground is frozen and the bush is completely dormant, mulch the entire area with straw or wood chips. This will protect the bush and keep the roots from heaving out of the ground during the freezing and thawing of winter. Once the ground is mulched, protect the stems of the bush from winter sun with sandy earth, more wood chips, straw or coarsely shredded non-oak leaves. Do at least 1’ of the stems or more. When the danger of hard frost is past, remove the protection.