Kansas garden winter tips for popular plants

By Scout Nelson

While Kansas has experienced an unseasonably warm November, winter’s cold temperatures are on the way, and gardeners need to start preparing their plants. Kansas State University horticulture expert, Cynthia Domenghini, offers helpful tips to winterize popular garden plants like roses and strawberries.

Winterizing Roses

Most shrub roses handle Kansas winters well, but hybrid tea roses and other modern varieties require extra protection. Domenghini suggests beginning the winterizing process after a few hard frosts, yet before the ground fully freezes.

This timing is crucial, as “winterizing too early keeps the stems warm and moist, which promotes the growth of mold,” she explains, while winterizing too late can harm the sensitive graft union. 

Begin by clearing debris around each rose plant to prevent disease, then mound soil or compost about 8-10 inches high around the base. Domenghini recommends bringing in new soil rather than disturbing the soil around the roses.

Once the ground freezes, add a four-inch layer of mulch — such as straw, leaves, or wood chips — over the mound and cover with soil to hold it in place. Prune rose canes to about 36 inches and tie them loosely together to prevent wind damage. “If the canes are allowed to whip in the wind, it can cause damage to the crown and disturb the soil,” she said.

Winterizing Strawberry Plants

Strawberry plants also require winter mulch to avoid potential damage from freezing temperatures. Sudden temperature drops can harm fruit buds and roots, while freeze-thaw cycles may cause plants to heave, exposing the roots.

Domenghini advises applying a three-inch layer of straw mulch after several frosts but before heavy freezing. In Kansas, this typically occurs between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For more detailed information, Kansas gardeners can find helpful resources in a publication from K-State Research and Extension. Domenghini and her colleagues also produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with seasonal gardening tips, and the public is welcome to subscribe or contact K-State Research and Extension with gardening questions.

Photo Credits:strawberries-pexels-pixabay