Local advice is preferred for this question, but here are some general guidelines for winter care of rose bushes for those living in colder climates. The major dangers to the plant in winter are the drying of the wind, the effect of alternate thawing and freezing cycles on the plant when winter temperatures fluctuate, the inability of the plant to take in water if the soil is frozen, and damage from the cold itself to the canes and bud union.

A rose bush, unlike a tree, does not produce shoots which steadily increase in size every year for as long as the plant remains alive. A rose stem grows actively and bears flowers for only a few years, after which the upper portion becomes exhausted. A new shoot then appears from a bud lower down on the stem, and the part above the new shoot dies.

Dead-heading spent flowers is done to channel the plants energy into new growth and flowers rather than producing seed. When the flowers are simply picked off the new stems produced may not adequately support the nest flower. Cut the old stem back to a five leaflet leaf with a stem at least pencil diameter. This will ensure adequate support for the successive stem.

This is a disease called black spot. It is a common and disfiguring disease of roses. Fungicides are more effective when applied as a preventative disease control. We suggest alternating between different fungicides to reduce any chance of disease resistance. Roses will need to be sprayed once every 2-3 weeks from May through September to keep black spot and possibly other problems under control. See our staff for guidance and specific control recommendations.

If the plants are small enough, you can cover them with a cardboard box. If not, tent the plants with a sheet or light-weight blanket. Keep the cover off the leaves of the plant and make sure it reaches the ground. Water the plants well the morning before a freeze. The water will absorb radiant heat from the sun and release it during the night. They are indeed frost tolerant. Water them once a week and they will continue to grow new roots all winter.

In mild winter areas no winter protection is needed. In colder climates the level of insulation is dependant on the severity of the cold weather. It is always a good idea to check out what other rose fanciers are doing in your area. In most cases, some light pruning is needed to physically tie up the plants. There are many ways to insulate your plants, first some type of container or barrier is needed to keep the organic insulation in place.

The sooner the better is the rule when it comes to removing dead stems and major limb from any plant. It's best to do a little grooming whenever you visit the rose garden. This includes trimming declining flowers, lanky shoots and dead plant portions. Ixoras won't mind a one-time heavy pruning with hedge shears or a pair of hand clippers. The question is how do you want the plant to look? Hedge shears give the plants a formal look that requires frequent maintenance.

It could be just the natural ageing of the leaves. It may mean a lack of water or check the leaves for blackspot. Even a rose that has been nearly defoliated by blackspot may be reinvigorated by summer pruning back to 18 inches or so. Remove and destroy all the affected leaves. Do not put them in the compost pile.

I know of thirty different methods of protecting roses from deer. Unfortunately 28 of them don't work. A big dog and or an 8 - 10 foot fence will do the job.

BOB: As deer continue to overrun our residential landscapes, homeowners must be more concerned about protecting their ornamental plants, especially during winter when heavier browsing occurs. There are 3 ways to protect your plantings, and we feel proper plant choices and exclusion are the two that work the best in the long run. Here are your 3 choices: Exclusion - Through the use of fencing or mesh, keep the deer away from plants.

They can live quite happily, through the coldest winter, if they have an insulated coop or a light inside their coop. The smaller the coop, the easier it is for them to keep it warm. Birds can get frostbite. Birds with large combs tend to be more susceptible. Also, some breeds are just hardier than others.

For cold protection in the first winter, vines tied to a trellis should be cut free to lie on the ground. In very cold areas and with vinifera in all areas, a mound of earth should be thrown up to the vines in late fall to protect the graft union and as much of the vine as possible. On grafted vines the hill must be removed in the spring.

A - Grafted roses (those on which a branch with desirable traits is grafted onto the stem of a hardier rose) need protection from Inland Northwest winters at the graft union. Just before the ground freezes, mound soil about 12 inches in and around canes, making sure the graft is completely covered. Cover with a mulch of fine bark, straw or pine needles. Hardy or “own-root” roses, once established, do not need special winter protection.

Bananas will survive most Texas winters with the exception of the colder areas along the Red River and in the Panhandle. Allow the first hard freeze to kill the tops back to the ground, then trim to remove the dried stubble a few days later. You'll gain several degrees' worth of protection if you pile mulched tree leaves over their crowns. If you are growing a dwarf banana in a patio pot you will need to protect it from sub-freezing weather.

Nylon is probably the worst of all worlds. When a suspension arm moves up and down it does not move only up and down but describes an arc. This means that, for example an inner track control arm bush will be required to flex in two dimensions at the same time. In this example a metal bush will allow this movement as will a rubber or POWERFLEX bush. However a nylon bush will allow up and down movement but 100% of the arc loadings will be transferred into the arm and the chassis.

The best way is to avoid traveling to places where the disease is most common and avoid close contact with someone who appears to have the disease. Hospital workers who have started wearing masks and gloves have not gotten sick.

a general rule, people should observe wildlife, including wild birds, from a distance. This protects people from possible exposure to diseases and minimizes disturbance to the animal. Avoid touching wildlife. If there is contact with wildlife, do not rub eyes, eat, drink, or smoke. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water.

Bluebirds in the Lower Willamette Valley do not migrate south for the winter. They tend to join small flocks and forage on insects and dried berries. The will move to lower elevations if the winter is very cold. Sometimes they will roost over night in a nest box during the bitterest weather.