I would treat them the same way as at any other time of the year. If it rains, naturally you don't water. If there's little rain, you would water whenever they seem to be getting dry. They're not dead, just slowing down, and they still need moisture.

Get a moisture meter and check to see if the roots are moist. Here the roses have almost stopped taking up water and it has rained some so I'm almost not watering at all now. The last time was before thanksgiving.

Thank you Ingrid and Henry. There are just so many differing opinions out there. Of course they all say to water, but the amounts and times differ wildly.

Thanks again,

andrea

Andrea - what NORMALLY happens to roses in mild Northern California winters is that they get rained on relentlessly. I live in the North SF Bay Area. In a normal winter (which this one IS NOT), I do not water at all from when it starts raining in late October/mid November until when it stops sometime between March and June.

This winter we have had exactly .80 inches of rain so far (they start measuring on July 1), instead of our "normal to date" which for this date is about 15 inches. So, we have been turning our irrigation system back on every time it is dry for about 14 days. Not right now however, because everything is frozen (also NOT normal), and my DH noticed that I "blew up" one of our timers by turning it on the other day.

We are hoping that things, or at least the temperatures, will get back to normal soon (not freezing every night), at which time we will start irrigating again unless it rains.

Your question is a good one, but this year is so weird that I am not surprised that you are getting different answers...

Jackie

Oh thanks Jackie. That is exactly what I wanted.

I have sprinkler systems also, but since I only have about
30 roses, I water them by hand. And it's is cold out there to be playing with a hose.

Another place where I find conflicting info is the weather forecasts for California this winter. Some say we will get water some say another drought year.

So, as you suggest, I will water unless it is freezing.

Thanks again,

andrea