I placed soil around the base of my hybrid tea roses in fall. When should I remove the soil?

Question:

I placed soil around the base of my hybrid tea roses in fall. When should I remove the soil?

Answer:

Remove the soil in late March or early April in southern Iowa, mid-April in northern portions of the state.  A frost or freeze in early spring shouldn’t harm the roses. 

After removing the soil, prune out any dead wood.  Live wood is green and possesses plump, healthy buds.  Dead wood is light to dark brown in color.  When pruning, make the cuts about 1 inch below the dead, brown-colored sections.  Remove the entire cane if there is no sign of life. 

Learn more about growing roses in this article: Growing Roses in Iowa.