Roses – Keeping a Blooming Rosebush Inside During the Winter

Question

I have a rosebush plant that was given to me and it is in full bloom. I want to transplant it outside but I believe it is too late in the year to do that in Wisconsin. How do I take care of the plant indoors over the winter and when should I transplant it outdoors in the spring. Will it go dormant inside and then be okay to plant outside?

Answer 1

I personally have better luck transplanting roses out to the rosebed than trying to keep them going well indoors. When planting outdoors, make sure you plant the rosebush such that the union or bottom knot where all the canes are coming up from is at least 2 inches below the grade line around the rosebush. Place two to three tablespoons of super phosphate or bone meal in with the soils at the bottom of the planting hole. Once planted, water the rose in with some water that has both root stimulator and a product called super thrive added to it, if you can still find the Super Thrive product. Once the weather has turned to where a couple hard frosts have hit, mound some garden soils without fertilizer in them up around the bushes canes about 6 inches and cover with mulch. Water in lightly. Keep an eye on the soils moisture all winter long so that it does not get starved for water. The rosebush should do fine. I have had them do just fine this way.