Roses in summer
The rose has long been considered the most beautiful flower in the world. According to myth, the lovely Rhodanth was so pursued by suitors that she fled to the temple of Diana, the huntress, who turned her into a rose and her pursuers into thorns. To keep your roses legend-worthy, I’ve distilled the vast amount of information down to some key points:
Wait until several days of good, hard freeze before covering them. The cold temps will help ward off bacteria, fungus, and other nasties, so they don’t attack your plant.
One can wait until spring to prune all but the longest and most unwieldy stems (to prevent wind whipping).
Cover the base of the plant with about 10 inches of mulch to promote even freezing and thawing. It is constant freeze and thaw that does the damage (this is why potholes form on the road) to plants’ roots and stems.
Wrap the plant to protect it from wind, hungry animals, and to help stabilize the temperature around the mulch/plant area.
Here’s an informative link from the U of IL with more information.
Good luck!
Plumstone 