Overwintering Roses New York: Container Rose Winter Pruning

[grandpasrose]

I have copied this question over from my pm's with the answer as others may need the response as well:

Hi Grandparose...

After a half hour of googling "container rose winter pruning" I was led to this website and your incredible posts from several years ago on rose care, which were tons more informative than the other 10 sites I visited...THANK YOU! A question, if you don't mind...

I'm an avid gardener who lives just north of New York City (zone 6) but have little experience with roses. I did buy a beautiful, scented "blackish red" floribunda this spring however, which flourished in a container on my back deck all summer, and now has a 4 foot middle cane and several 2 to 3 foot canes; it rebloomed about 4 times. Currently, the plant is fully covered with foliage and I just cut four stems yesterday with buds that are about to open. I'd like to keep it on the deck again next year and need some over-wintering advice; winter lows here can be in the 10 degree F range, but have been known to go to single digits on occasion. According to your recommendations it seems my best bet would be to either:

1) water well and put it in my basement (although it's not heated, the furnace or a warm winter day can sometimes bring the temperature to near 50 though); or

2) water well, put a tomato cage over it, wrap in an old quilt and fill with some insulating material (styrofoam peanuts?) and put it underneath my porch (here it would be surrounded by cement block, with 3 x 5 foot openings on two sides, but rain or snow would not get in).

Which would you suggest? Your post seemed to indicate that I shouldn't prune it right now, but should I really leave the plant as is with those long canes and all the leaves on it? Although the temperature today reached 66, it's actually supposed to go down to 26 tonight (crazy!) and will be in the low 30's several nights next week so I figure I need to do something soon.

If you're still checking this site I'd appreciate any advice you can give. Best to contact me directly at my e-mail:

THANK YOU!!
LT

[grandpasrose]

Thank you for the kind compliments. I hope it is helpful. I do still check in to the forum, but have been on a bit of a "sabatical" because of illness.
However, here are a few tips for you.

You shouldn't do any more pruning until your rose has gone dormant. You can tell this has happened when the foliage falls. If you continue to prune it, it will want to continue growing.
Don't store it until it has gone completely dormant.

In your particular case, if there is an area in your basement that does not ever get above 50 degrees F, preferrably lower than that, it would be my preference.
If not, the second option would be better.
Peanuts would be fine. I personally use straw, because I have easy access to it.

I have purchased dormant roses in early spring at nurseries in locations warmer than where I live, and on those occasions, I place it in a basement cold room, sometimes for a couple of months, after giving it a slight bit of water so that it doesn't dry out.

Best of luck with your rose, and you enjoy it's blooms once again next year.
Val