Contents
It is difficult to find a person who would not admire roses, their buds and aromas. If earlier these plants were grown only in the southern regions of Our Country, today these flowers are acquiring a new place of residence in the Urals, Siberia, and the Moscow region. Climbing roses, capable of climbing along a trellis, also settled on the plots of residents of the Moscow region.
Often on the packaging it is written that the variety is winter-hardy. Inexperienced gardeners living in the Moscow region “peck” at him and do not cover rose bushes for the winter. As a result, the flowers are irretrievably lost. After all, winter frosts and thaws destroy not only the kidneys, but also the root system. We will tell you about how to cover roses for the winter in the Moscow region, what covering materials to use, in the article.
Why cover roses
Modern varieties of roses have practically no dormant period. Even at the very end of autumn, they may have buds, flowers and leafy shoots. In a word, the sap flow continues.
What happens to climbing roses when the temperature in the Moscow region and other regions of central Our Country drops below 0 degrees:
- The accumulated juice freezes, tearing tissue. There are, as the people say, frost holes. In these cracks, instead of liquid, ice forms.
- Pathogens penetrate through the damaged epidermis. They will begin to multiply intensively at the slightest positive temperature.
- And the juice, having thawed, will begin to flow from the trunks of climbing roses. As a result, the plants in the spring turn out to be dry, unable not only to bloom, even foliage will not appear on it. Well, if the root system departs. And then you have to uproot the plant.
Shelter, including in the Moscow region, saves plants from frost and disease. But before you cover the roses for the winter in the Moscow region, you will have to start preparing them.
Preparation for wintering
So that climbing roses in the Moscow region do not die in winter, they must be specially prepared before shelter. As a rule, training begins in the month of August.
Additional fertilizing
First of all, the plants need to be fed. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are not suitable for autumn feeding of climbing roses, as they will cause a violent growth of green mass. It is best to use potassium-phosphorus top dressing so that the shoots can ripen well before the onset of cold weather.
The fertilizer rates indicated below are diluted in 10 liters of water. This amount is enough for four square meters. For the first autumn top dressing in the first days of August, the following are applied under the plants:
- superphosphate – 25 g;
- boric acid – 2,5 g;
- potassium sulfate – 10 g.
The second top dressing is carried out in early September with superphosphate (15 g) and potassium sulfate (15 g). Bred also in a ten-liter bucket.
Other preparation operations
In August, the soil is loosened, the stems and buds are cut, so that the plants have the opportunity to go into a dormant state. Since September, climbing roses are practically not watered.
Back in August, climbing roses cut off leaves from below with petioles. The fact is that by the end of the season, it is the lower leaves that can be damaged by diseases, and pests hibernate on them. To prevent further spread, the leaves must be cut off. Each wound, so as not to get an infection, is treated with potassium permanganate or diamond greens. A good effect is powdering damage with wood ash.
The next day, it is necessary to cover the roots with dry sand. Up to three buckets are spent on one adult plant, and one bucket is enough for a young one. Such hilling protects the root system from freezing. After that, you need to cut off the rest of the leaves, carefully remove the whips from the trellis. Ferrous vitriol, diluted strictly according to the instructions, it is necessary to process all the lashes.
Until the thermometer scale drops below +2-+3 degrees, in dry weather they tie the whips of rose bushes and bend down. Why is it necessary to work with climbing roses at this temperature? The fact is that when they freeze, their whips become brittle, it will not be possible to bend without damage.
It is best to work with rose bushes with a helper. Having bent the bunches of lashes, they need to be pinned so that they do not rise again. Supports similar to the letter M or P are substituted under each bundle.
In this position, climbing roses will be until the first frost. A more substantial shelter is installed in the Moscow region at a temperature of -4, -5 degrees.
How to cover roses in the suburbs
Many gardeners, especially beginners, are concerned not only with how to cover rose bushes in the Moscow region for the winter, but also with what material. The best cover, of course, is the snow. But unfortunately, snow does not fall by magic. In the Moscow region or in other areas of central Our Country, it can fall at lower temperatures. Therefore, it is necessary to think about how to save roses from frost.
Experienced gardeners are advised to use any improvised materials. Many shelter rose bushes in the Moscow region for the winter:
- dry leaves;
- lapnikom;
- burlap and rags;
- old blankets and jackets;
- boards, slate and plywood.
Today you can buy special covering materials that allow you to maintain the temperature, they do not form condensate that is detrimental to roses, even during winter thaws:
- lutrasil;
- spunbond;
- geotextile.
The choice of material will depend on the condition of the climbing roses on the site, on the variety and age of the plants. Hardy winter-hardy roses winter well in the Moscow region under foliage or spruce branches. As for young plants, without shelter they cannot overwinter without damage.
Improvised materials or various types of films for covering roses in the Moscow region, as a rule, are stretched onto a frame. It can be made of wood or metal. The plastic version must be immediately swept aside, since this material crumbles in the cold.
The covering material should be dense, approximately 200 g/m². For reliability, it is laid on the frame in several layers. If you still decide to use plastic wrap to cover climbing roses in the Moscow region, then leave vents on the sides. Otherwise, during thaws, plants may begin to rot.
As for spunbond, lutrasil and geotextiles, after covering the bushes, this material is tightly fixed around the entire perimeter, no holes are needed. Frost should not penetrate under these covering materials.
You can cover roses for the winter in the Moscow region not only in a horizontal, but also in a vertical position, if you take modern materials. Like this.
If the plants grew on the arch, then you can cover them together in this way, as in the photo.
How to properly cover roses
After hilling and preparatory work, roses begin to cover in the suburbs. Since plants can harm mice in many regions, the earth is treated with special substances or sprinkled with mothballs. By the way, iron sulfate treatment also helps to save climbing roses from rodents.
frame shelter
Spruce branches or fallen leaves are placed under the lashes. These materials are breathable, roses will not suffocate from lack of oxygen. It is undesirable to cover the bushes with sawdust, straw or hay, as they absorb water and will lead to condensation.
Spruce branches or leaves are also laid on top of the connected pink lashes. To prevent precipitation, arcs or wooden shields in the form of a gable roof are installed above the roses. Stakes are used to fix the shelter.
Covering material is covered on top of a wooden frame or arcs. At the beginning of autumn, it is not closed from the ends. Full shelter from all sides is performed when the average daily temperature is below -5 degrees.
So, you can cover roses planted on the same line. If the plants are scattered around the garden, then the work will increase significantly, since the shelter of each rose will take longer.
Shelter without frame
Many gardeners in the Moscow region cover roses in a frameless way. This method takes less time. Plants are shifted with foliage or spruce branches, and covered with a film or roofing material on top. Experienced gardeners do not advise residents of the Moscow region to snatch climbing roses in this way, because the plants for the most part rot.
We cover a climbing rose, gardener’s advice:
Conclusion
Covering roses for the winter is an important agricultural technique, especially in the Moscow region and other regions of Our Country, where the thermometer drops several tens of degrees below zero. Without your attention and help, plants simply cannot survive.
No need to regret the time spent sheltering rose bushes. Roses will thank you in spring, delight you with lush greenery and buds of fragrant flowers.