Contents
The winter period is by no means a favorite for such delicate plants as roses. Often they simply die under the influence of severe frosts. In order to help the flowers survive this difficult period, they should be covered with a special material.
When to hide
The correct preparation of roses for winter is, first of all, the observance of the terms of each of the components of the procedure. In this regard, gardeners often have a question: when is it worth holding roses for the winter in the middle lane?
First, do not try to cover the flowers as early as possible. Such a mistake only activates the growth of young organs. It is better to “warm” the culture when stable frosty weather is established. In the middle lane, as in the north of the country, the optimal time for shelter is mid-autumn. In regions with a warm climate, winter usually “delays”, so wrapping roses with special material is permissible later for a couple of weeks.
Shrub flower forms can be “insulated” by dropping. After pruning, the plant is mulched with earth to a height of up to 0,4 meters, and then covered with dry leaves.
As a support, plastic vases with special holes for drainage are usually used. The root system is covered with needles.
In the process of covering, the soil and materials for the implementation of the procedure were dry, which will prevent the retention of excess moisture on other organs of the plant. Otherwise, the culture is threatened with rot and fungal infection.
Video “Pruning and shelter for the winter”
From the video you will learn how to cut and cover roses for the winter.
Trimming rules
When to prune roses? As for the timing of pruning, experts recommend that the procedure be carried out no earlier than in the middle of autumn. It is then that the air temperature does not rise above 8 ° during the day, and approaches 0 at night. It is during this period that the ovaries will no longer become full-fledged flowers, and those flowers that have formed will only interfere with the plant preparing for winter. After all, the presence of flowers makes it impossible to slow down the metabolic process inside the plant organism. Cut roses stand perfectly in a vase for about a week, but if they “survived” the night frost, their safety is reduced by a couple of days.
Roses must be cut to the middle of their length. Very young stems should be eliminated altogether. A newly formed vine is easily identified by its purple color and flexibility. When pruning such a vine with secateurs, it actively releases juice. Also, all leaves on the stems are subject to elimination. This recommendation is valid for any variety of roses.
An ideal tool for cutting flowers for the winter is a sharp pruner. For thick shoots, a delimber is also applicable. The leaves are cut with secateurs or cut off by hand.
“Garbage” formed as a result of pruning must be immediately removed from the site. If you leave the cuttings in the flower bed, they will begin to rot and lead to the development of fungal diseases.
After the total elimination of leaves and young shoots, the culture bushes need to be examined and checked to see if they are “sick”. After all, often after the season of autumn rains, a fungus forms on the organs of the plant. It manifests itself either in the form of black spots or as small red dots, it all depends on the type of microorganism that provoked the disease. The fungus prefers old branches and is localized near the neck of the root.
It is not worth cleaning off the traces of the fungus with a knife, because in this way you can easily cause irreparable harm to the culture. As a result, the individual will not be able to overwinter. The right solution would be to treat the area with copper sulphate or Hom. However, for the processing procedure, it is worth choosing a dry and calm day.
How to bend
To protect branches from frost that are not pruned, it is worth bending them down. As a result, the bush will be able to endure the winter under a thick layer of snow. After all, no shelter of roses can protect flowers as reliably as snow.
Those varieties of roses that are able to twist and trail should be cut off from above and removed from the supports. After such plants are placed on spruce branches or foam and covered with oak leaves. It is oak sheets that do not rot even at high humidity, which will protect roses from active growth.
You can put any covering material on the foliage layer. Shrub roses bend down and bind in the same way as raspberries: by pulling branches to each other or supports.
It is worth gradually bending the roses. It is better to do this on similar days or in the afternoon, because at this time the shoots are especially flexible.
How to cover
When wondering how to cover roses for the winter, you should think about what material is best to cover flower bushes.
An ideal covering material has a number of positive characteristics.
Firstly, it is able to retain snow for a certain time, which will prevent premature evaporation of moisture from drying winds.
Secondly, the protective material prevents the branches from “breaking” under the weight of the snow lying on them.
Thirdly, it does not miss precipitation of any kind.
Fourthly, the “correct” covering material prevents overheating of crops during thaws, and fifthly, it maintains optimal air humidity. Thanks to this, the plants do not “mate” under the “blanket”.
All characteristics are fully consistent with spruce branches, which also prevents the attack of rodents. However, unfortunately, this material is not available to everyone. But it is easy to replace it with modern materials. For example, a combination of covering material and a strong frame.
It is also worth noting that it is not worth using a film as a covering material. After all, it disrupts the natural metabolic processes of the plant. It is better to use a non-woven white material (the color contributes to the fact that the roses heat up less under the influence of the sun), the density of which exceeds 60 microns.
So, sheltering roses for the winter is an indispensable part of the process of caring for these flowers. Therefore, it is worth following all the recommendations for the correct pruning of the rose garden and its protection from winter frosts.
Video “How to cover”
From the video you will learn how to cover roses for the winter.
