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Roses for the winter: autumn care, pruning, shelter

By Administrator 30.10.2022 Leave a Comment

Roses are magnificent, even a single bush during flowering completely transforms any site. The task of the gardener is to preserve all the roses in winter and create conditions for them so that in the spring the plant begins to grow actively and bloom magnificently. Each type of rose has its own rules. By observing them, the owner of the site can achieve high decorative qualities of each instance. No specific tool is required. You will need an ordinary pruner, a hacksaw for old bushes with thick shoots, compost, waterproof material, spruce branches and a little patience will not hurt.

How to prune roses for the winter: features for different types

All types of roses need autumn care. Common to all is sanitary pruning. It is necessary to remove all unripened, damaged, thin shoots. It is important to remove all branches with signs of the disease. Plant residues must be disposed of to avoid the possibility of the spread of dangerous diseases on the site. Further care depends on the species to which the variety belongs.

Climbing roses for the winter are enough to cut a quarter of the length. Its flexible shoots are easy to bend to the surface of the soil, some varieties can be rolled into a ring. That is why making a shelter for this species is the easiest. The only danger is unripened shoots. They die even under cover, during thaws or at temperatures close to zero, mold and rot appear on them, which can destroy the entire plant. Bushes are often very voluminous, careful inspection and sanitary pruning makes it possible to completely preserve all the bushes.

Park roses can have high winter hardiness, which means they do not need shelter for the winter. In this case, you can remove the remains of inflorescences, damaged shoots, branches inside the bush. They disrupt ventilation, which means they create a risk of fungal diseases. It all depends on the particular variety. For heat-loving specimens, half-height pruning and reliable shelter will be required.

Floribunda and hybrid tea roses have common rules. Autumn pruning for them is not only preparation for winter, but also serves as the basis for the formation of a bush. They must be shortened by at least half the height or leave a quarter of the shoots. In the first case, next summer the bush will be tall and compact with flowers at the top, in the second, the rose will be lower, but wide, and the flowers will be located on the top and on the side branches.

The only exceptions are ground cover varieties. They do not need shelter and pruning, it is enough to remove the remains of flowers and peduncles. There is one more feature: pruning roses for the winter can do harm, and not benefit, if leaves remain on the plant. In winter, rot will begin on them, then it will move to the stems. The second half of October is the best time to prepare roses for winter.

Feeding roses for the winter: how and when

In autumn, roses practically do not need nutrients, but top dressing is necessary. You need to remove the top layer of mulch. It can overwinter pathogens and pests. Instead, a layer of peat, compost or good humus at least 5 cm should be poured. This will saturate the soil with organic matter, provide nutrition to beneficial soil bacteria, earthworms. In addition, the loose layer serves as a good heat-insulating material, thanks to which freezing of the roots can be prevented.

Of the mineral substances, the introduction of potassium and phosphorus is permissible. The best form of potassium for roses is ash. It is able not only to saturate the soil additionally with many trace elements in a form accessible to plants, but also to help get rid of common pests and spores of fungal diseases. The use of nitrogen fertilizers at this time is unacceptable. Nitrogen can provoke the growth of shoots, the bush will weaken and die. Ready-made preparations for feeding roses:

Fertilizer Organic Mix Elixir № 1 autumn

Hera fertilizer for roses

Green Boom «Liquid fertilizer for roses»

Fertilizer Hera Autumn

The main part of the nutrients must be applied to the soil when planting bushes and during spring and summer top dressing. In autumn, the activity of all parts of plants decreases, all life processes gradually stop and the bushes go into a state of complete rest until spring. Therefore, mineral fertilizers, especially in large doses, can burn the roots. It will not be superfluous to treat with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid to prevent the appearance of mold.

Rose shelter for the winter: all the rules and features

The first and most important rule is not to rush to cover roses for the winter. The air temperature at this time should be from -1 to -5 degrees. First you need to prepare the materials. It can be coniferous spruce branches, dry foliage, peat and even hay. The top layer needs a waterproof material.

For roses, the stems of which are bent to the surface of the soil or laid, a frame is required. It will prevent damage that a large mass of snow can cause. For bush varieties, it will allow you to keep the airspace around the plant all winter. You can make a frame from thick wire, wooden bars. You can buy ready-made in the garden store, but it is not cheap.

The first layer of shelter must be laid in such a way as to maintain the possibility of ventilation of the bush. Loose materials are only suitable for hilling the lower part of the stem, spruce branches and dry leaves can be placed above the shoots.

The top final layer can be made from roofing material, old oilcloth, plastic film or agrofibre. The main thing is to leave holes for ventilation closer to the surface of the earth so that the plant does not suffocate.

If you do everything necessary, the rose will definitely overwinter without damage, in the spring it will begin to grow well, in the summer it will delight with magnificent flowers. Proper pruning, feeding and shelter create optimal conditions for the rose, in which it has enough air and warmth to survive, and minimizes the risk of damage.