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The end of summer is not at all evidence of the cessation of gardening. Caring for roses in the fall is not simplified, but on the contrary, it even becomes somewhat more complicated. The main task during this period is to prepare flowers for winter. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to carry out a number of activities: top dressing, cleaning of debris, pruning and sheltering plants.
Proper care in September
Today there are many varieties of roses. They have a specific “appearance” and develop in a special way, but all the processes that occur in the fall are similar to them.
Therefore, it is possible to properly care for plants only by knowing all the “autumn” processes in the life of flowers:
- Deceleration of stem growth and bud development. In the case of a warm autumn, these processes can continue. However, this fact is not an indication that the process of preparing for the cold season should be postponed. It also does not make sense to carry out intensive top dressing in the hope of a rich flower harvest. All the necessary minerals, as well as proper care, the culture received in spring and summer.
- Beginning of woody stem. The newly formed bark will be able to protect the shoots from the cold;
- Fixing the root of the bush in the soil and accumulating useful substances in it for storage until spring. It is for this reason that a rose transplant in the fall will give positive results.
- Slowdown of metabolic processes in the plant organism.
That is, nature itself prepares roses for winter. However, this is often not enough. Since the plant loves heat very much, gardeners need to take care of sheltering their favorites for the cold season.
It is most convenient to divide all activities for preparing roses for winter monthly. But it makes no sense to adhere to the exact dates, and even more so the dates. After all, the division itself is rather conditional.
For example, in the northern territories, cold weather begins earlier, so some types of preparatory work are shifted by almost a month. Therefore, the most reliable option is to navigate according to the weather and climatic conditions of the region. In general, care for roses in September includes weeding, coloring the trunks and drying the rose garden.
Video “Preparing for winter”
From the presented video you will learn how to prepare roses for winter time.
Carry out weeding
When preparing a crop for winter, you should pay special attention to the soil. The soil must be clean. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate all weeds and annuals growing near the bushes. The lower leaves of plants must be removed at a distance of 0,15 – 0,2 meters. This procedure will greatly simplify future hilling.
Paint the stems
Leaving in the fall provides for such an interesting procedure as painting the trunks of roses. This procedure will prevent the penetration of pathogens into the microcracks of the bark. What to paint? You can purchase garden paint or dilute the “water emulsion” with copper chloride. The trunk needs to be painted, starting from the bottom and ending at the hilling level (approximately 0,3 meters). You can safely cover the bushes with paint if you find any violations of the integrity of the bark. After complete drying, the plants need to be hilled.
If flowering has not stopped, you need to remove all wilted and small buds that do not have time to bloom before the onset of cold weather.
Dry the rosary
Excessive moisture in the rose garden will not allow the culture to survive the winter in optimal conditions. What to do? The answer is simple – dry. The procedure is especially important in wet autumn conditions. For “drying” it is necessary to install high arcs above the bushes, which are usually used in greenhouses. After pulling a film on them, thus creating a roof. If tall plants cannot get into the shelter, they can be slightly bent to the ground.
Ready for the cold
It is necessary to conduct a careful examination of all individuals from different angles. If young sprouts do not appear, and the shoots successfully grow woody, the preparation of the culture is carried out correctly. Otherwise, you need to correct the situation as soon as possible, taking all necessary measures.
How to feed
In September, the last top dressing before the onset of cold weather is carried out. The soil is fertilized with phosphorus and potassium. It is these chemical elements that make individuals resistant to diseases, stimulate the flowering of crops and the maturation of wood in young plants.
There is also a specific feeding option. Under the bushes, a banana skin is buried in the ground. It contains a lot of useful potassium for plants.
But manure cannot be used as fertilizer. After all, this organic matter is considered summer top dressing. The rosette, fed with manure in autumn, produces many young stems, which only interfere with the culture.
Proper care in October
In October, work on the preparation of royal flowers continues. Pruning should begin when the air temperature stops at 5°-7°.
Trimming
Autumn pruning is an important procedure that simplifies the procedure for sheltering bushes. First of all, you need to shorten tall individuals. Usually the highest are representatives of tea and standard varieties. Otherwise, two-meter beauties will simply die. After all, it is impossible to reliably protect tall plants from the cold.
The bushes are pruned and fertilized with potash fertilizers. The height of the bush individuals must be shortened by half. Usually these are such varieties of culture: floribunda, hybrid tea, miniature, polyanthus. Plants with large flowers, as well as shrubs, should be shortened by a third. Small-flowered individuals do not need to be cut at all, it is enough to pinch the growth point. You can determine the best period for pruning by following the Lunar calendar. It is necessary to rid the plants of excess on the waning moon.
Disease Prevention
To prevent diseases of the culture, it is worth doing the following:
- Spraying. Parasites usually endure even severe frosts. Therefore, it is necessary to protect flowers from diseases for the winter. Spraying individuals with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture helps a lot.
- Garbage cleaning. The growing area of the bushes must be completely cleared of fallen leaves and debris. If you have a well-maintained compost pit, all the “waste” from the site can be placed there. Otherwise, just burn the garbage. This can prevent the spread of diseases and the appearance of pests.
How to properly wrap
Roses need to be properly insulated for the winter. During the procedure, you need to be especially careful. The right actions will provoke active spring growth and flowering of the crop, and will also help keep individuals alive. But an improperly organized shelter will simply destroy fragile beauties.
The warming procedure consists of the following steps:
- Leaf cleaning. Before wrapping, all leaves are removed. The absence of these organs acts as a guarantee of protection against fungal diseases.
- Soil digging. It is better to use a pitchfork for this purpose: this way you will not damage the roots of the plants. If the culture has long shoots, it is necessary to dig them up on one side, which will provoke the “occurrence” of the bush.
- Hilling. For the procedure, dry materials must be used: sand, loose soil, peat. Having poured under the root of the earth, you need to “build” a hill of 0,15 -0,2 meters. Circumcised individuals of some varieties will completely hide underground. Such an event will save the kidneys from death even in severe cold.
- Rose cover. All shoots must be collected and decomposed. After that, the organs need to be covered. The thickness of the protection must be at least 0,1 meters. You can lay insulation and thicker, the main thing is not to harm the plants. After all, they can suffocate or break. The material for shelter can be dry grass, spruce branches, brushwood, burlap. In case of a long and frosty winter, it will be necessary to organize special shelters. Around the bushes it is worth building a frame. It is insulated with cardboard or polyethylene. Roses in November are successfully insulated with snow. The bushes covered with it, even the most fragile ones, will survive the cold perfectly. You can save the culture from the attack of rodents by placing traps before the first snow.
As practice shows, there is a lot of trouble with roses. However, the beauty and aroma of these beauties will convince you that all efforts were not in vain. If you do all the autumn flower care activities correctly, then all the efforts expended will return to you in the spring and summer as a reward. Royal favorites will please you with their healthy appearance.
Video “Feeding in the fall”
From the video you will learn how to feed roses in autumn.
