Growing Roses in Zone 3: Planting and Winter Protection

In zone 3, plant roses from late May to mid-June after the last hard frost, and each winter mound 10 to 12 inches of soil over the base after several hard frosts and before the ground freezes.

When should I plant roses in zone 3?

The last spring frost in zone 3 is typically mid-May to early June. Request a ship week from late May to mid-June, and plant as soon as nights stay above freezing and the soil can be worked. Plant by early summer so roots can settle before fall. Fall planting is not recommended in zone 3.

Which roses are hardy enough for zone 3?

Choose roses rated for zone 3 on their product page. Our warranty requires that a rose be within your USDA zone. Hybrid rugosa roses are known for toughness in cold climates, but check each listing’s zone rating before you order.

How do I protect roses over winter in zone 3?

1.       Stop fertilizing by mid-August, and stop deadheading in late summer so the plant goes dormant.

2.       Water deeply during dry fall weather until the ground freezes, and water again on warm winter days.

3.       Wait for several hard frosts, and mound before the ground freezes, usually late October to November.

4.      Mound 10 to 12 inches of soil or compost over the base of the rose. Bring it in from elsewhere in the garden rather than digging around the roots.

5.       Once the mound has frozen, cover it with dry leaves, pine needles or straw, held in place with evergreen boughs. Use materials that drain well.

6.       Lay climbers down and cover them.

Give new plants the full 12 inches and extra mulch in their first winter.

When do I uncover and prune roses in zone 3?

Uncover gradually from late April to May, after the hardest freezes are over, so new shoots are not hit by a late frost. Prune once buds swell or forsythia blooms, cutting dead canes back to healthy green wood.

Why choose own-root roses in zone 3?

If a severe winter kills the canes, an own-root rose regrows from the base as the same variety you bought, not as a different rootstock rose.

Can I leave a potted rose outside in zone 3?

No. Roots in an above-ground pot freeze much harder than roots in the ground, and our warranty does not cover roses planted in above-ground pots in freezing climates. Plant your rose in the ground.