**FULL QUESTION**
Dear *Gardening Life*,
After I have pruned back my roses for the winter, should I cover them with soil? I was told to wrap them with a burlap sack.
*—Ken Buckle*
**FULL ANSWER**
You don’t say what type of roses you have but I assume you are referring to bush type floribundas or shrub roses. Don’t cut them back too severely in fall; major pruning is best left till spring when you can clearly see any winter dieback and the new buds. To protect the crown of the plant in winter, you can mound soil over the crown (this is called hilling up) to a depth of eight to 12 inches. Use added soil—don’t just scrape soil up from the surrounding bed as this will expose the rose’s roots. You can also buy plastic rose collars, which are placed around the base of the plant and then filled with soil or shredded leaves. In addition, if the bushes are small and exposed to strong winter winds, you can wrap them in burlap or cover them with plastic rose cones. For maximum protection, you can fill the burlap or cone with straw or leaves right to the top. Your best bet is to choose the hardiest roses for your area. Happy rose gardening!
*—Karen York, Botanical Editor*
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