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Winter Rose Care & Pruning

Although major rose pruning is not done until late February into early March, there are a few things I do to get roses settled in for the winter. First, I wait until the first frost has occurred before I do anything. That happened on December 1 this year, a little later than normal. If you do any pruning prior to that, new growth will be encouraged, and it will just be nipped later. I will then do minimal pruning, about 1/3 of the plant or to about waist-high. It does not matter how you make the cuts. More precise pruning will be done in late winter. Giving roses a slight pruning at this time will decrease the damage from strong winter winds. Roses are not deeply rooted, and any long canes can spell trouble. Pick off any remaining leaves, if possible. I know that can be a big job if there are still many leaves left on the plant but you don't want leaves, especially diseased leaves, left to fall and harbor spores for next season. Clean the area around the base of the rose. Rake out ...
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The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden - a book review


The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden
by Stacy Tornio
Timber Press, 2024

This colorful guide is a good introduction for beginning gardeners who want to attract wildlife. The focus is on four major groups - birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. There is also an additional chapter on "Other Wildlife" which offers brief notes on attracting dragonflies, spiders, amphibians, reptiles, earthworms, etc. It even mentions squirrels and rabbits, but my question is - who would want these in the garden?!!

Each section begins with profiles of the major players with a description, photo and list of statistical information such as physical characteristics, nesting habits, diet and range. This is followed by a section of plants that are beneficial. The plants include trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.


A section titled "Show Me How to Plan a Garden" features five or six plants with an illustration to use in whatever type of garden you are making (shade, drought-tolerant, songbird, hummingbird, etc.). 



A final FAQ section answers questions about native plants, organic gardening and problems one might encounter.

The book is well illustrated with beautiful photographs and drawings. I would recommend the book as a gift for someone just starting out with gardening or for someone who wants to identify birds or butterflies. I'm not sure I would use the word "Ultimate" in the title as the information on both plants and birds is quite minimal, but it is a good starting point.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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