Rose identification

[Wendie537]

I have two rose bushes, one red one white... They are the best they have ever been because of help from this forum....
I am wondering if someone can identify them for me so I know how to prepare them for the winter..I am zone 5, so lots of snow...not sure if I cut them back in fall or spring..tons of new growth still coming so it won't be soon...

 

[marlingardener]

Wendie, the red looks like Dark Lady, an Austin rose, but I'm not absolutely sure. There is a picture of ours posted below.
Roses are roses, and protecting them in winter is pretty much the same for all, except the big climbers. After the rose goes dormant and loses its leaves, cut it back to about 18", cutting each cane but not "topping" the rose. Then put a wire cage (chicken wire works great) around it and fill the cage with tree leaves. When we lived in upstate NY zone 6, we ran the mower over leaves to roughly chop them, then dumped them in the cages. In the spring, remove the cage and rake the leaves around the roses to use as mulch. Just be careful to not use leaves from black walnut trees--they contain juglone which represses plant growth.
Your roses look very healthy, congratulations!

 

[Wendie537]

Thank You, What Does Topping The Rose Mean? I have no trees on the yard, can I use mulch to fill the cages?

 

[marlingardener]

Wendie, I often forget and use terms that aren't familiar in other countries. Sorry !
"Topping" is blunt cutting the tops off a tree or shrub. Think of the difference between a good haircut and having all your hair shaved off the top of your head to a height of about 1".
If you have no trees, ask neighbors if you can collect their leaves. Mulch will probably pack down too much, being smaller pieces and could become moldy. If the neighbors don't have leaves, then try wood chips (again, avoiding chips that contain black walnut). They are larger, don't compress, and can be used as mulch next spring. I always went with the frugal (okay, cheap!) and used leaves.