Question:
Curiosity question:
Do any of you northern-type rose growers winterize your bushes by digging a trench from the entry point of the plant into the soil outward the distance equal to the bush height and lay the plant over, into a straw-lined trench and cover with straw/leaves/soil until next spring, when you simply uncover and upright the plant? I saw that done on a gardening TV program years ago and wondered if it really worked.

Answer:
Originally Posted by kbe Curiosity question:
Do any of you northern-type rose growers winterize your bushes by digging a trench from the entry point of the plant into the soil outward the distance equal to the bush height and lay the plant over, into a straw-lined trench and cover with straw/leaves/soil until next spring, when you simply uncover and upright the plant? I saw that done on a gardening TV program years ago and wondered if it really worked. I saw illustrations of this technique in books from the library. It's an old technique and seems like it should work. It would protect the canes from deep freezes and irreversable damage.
there is a breed that will stand up to Canadian winters but the selection is based on color, not style.