Question: We mulched our roses really heavily when we lived in the North. Do we do that here?

Answer: That heavy mulching in the North is to protect the bud union from extreme cold. You’ll rarely lose the top growth in Texas cold spells, so that mulching shouldn’t be needed. Once in a long while, rosarians will wrap the stems of their most prized plants if unusually cold weather is expected, or if it has turned quite cold after a period of warm weather, in which case the canes might not be properly acclimatized. Most home gardeners in Texas, however, don’t do anything special to protect their roses. Mulching, of course, is a great idea during the growing season, but you won’t need more than an inch or two, certainly not enough to cover the bud unions like you would have to do in the North over the winter.