How to best protect roses in chicago?

I have several types of roses and I wanted to know if I have to protect them from frost (my mom never did) The following are in clay pots- hybrid teas, floribundas and two newly acquired bushes I wasn't able to put in the ground. I also have some miniatures that were newly acquired and I planted and mulched. I have nearly wilds in the ground with some scattered climbers. Can anyone PLEASE tell me what needs protection, when it should be done and how? Thanks a bunch!

How to best protect roses in chicago?
roses go dormant in the winter. The ones you already have in the ground should be ok, trim them back like you would normally do and perhaps cover the base of them with leaves or mulch. even better if you use a milk gallon, cut it in half and use it as a shield around the bottom of the rose.. (it's important for the base to be protected and thats it)





the ones you have in pots, those won't make it through the winter, if you can, just dig a temp. hole in your yard and place them in the ground, pot and all, that way they think they are in the ground and go dormant. Or you could bring them inside, and place them in the basement or a utility room...somewhere cool and dark.





as for your climbers and the wild bushes...those should be fine, you probably don't have to do anything to them but trim them back.





Good Luck!
Reply:Were your mothers roses in pots? Is she in Chicago? If she didn't have any trouble then I would say don't worry about them. My roses in pots have done fine through winter, but your weather is quite a bit colder I think. It may help to put all of your potted roses close together for more protection.
Reply:Cut the canes back and cover the lower 6 inches or so with mounds of dirt and/or mulch. The potted roses should be put in the ground, or the roots will freeze and they'll die. Some die-back is normal over winter, even on the wild varieties, which generally don't require any special winter preparation. The hybrid teas and floribundas will need protection. I cut mine and mulch them at the first frost, well before the ground really freezes.
Reply:Chi town can produce some nasty winter weather. Clay pots won't cut it. You need to either bring these inside or they will not make it through the winter in clay pots! They ALL need protection int he form of the mulch you mentioned and a fair amount of it. If Chi town experiences a lot of ground freezing and thawing throughout the winter (not uncommon), you may lose some no matter what you do. Whatever you do, do it NOW! Frost is on the horizon in Chi town!
Reply:watch out for them