Mulch around the base of the rose plant with natural mulch such as leaf mold compost to hold in moisture and protect the root system. However, do not amend the soil heavily as too much non-native soil amendment can create an over-fertile environment for the roses root systems and later create growth concerns.
Clean up ground clutter and cut diseased or injured stems back in fall.
Late fall cut most modern full-sized roses back to 1/3 to 1/2 their normal height. Do not do this with climbers and shrubs; cut them back in the spring.
Starting in early fall, stop deadheading your rose bushes and simply pull off spent petal blooms, reserving any rosehips for winter interest.