Roses require proper care during the winter months to protect them from harsh frosts. Proper covering will help ensure that your roses survive the cold weather. Follow these tips to properly prepare your roses for winter and avoid common mistakes.
1. Prune Before Covering
Before covering your roses for the winter, make sure to cut off any buds and leaves. If you skip this step, the bushes may continue to breathe and evaporate moisture, which creates high humidity around the plant. This excess moisture can lead to rot and encourage the growth of harmful bacteria.
Also, don’t forget to cut back any weak or diseased branches to improve the overall health of the plant and reduce potential problems over winter.
2. Pruning for Different Rose Varieties
Different rose varieties have different pruning needs before winter. Follow these guidelines:
- Tea-hybrid, floribunda, and other miniature varieties should be cut in half.
- Large-flowered, climbing, and bush roses should be cut back by 1/3.
- Creeping, small-flowered roses do not need to be cut. Instead, their shoots should be grafted.
3. Avoid Using the Wrong Materials
After the first frosts, it’s time to wrap and cover the bushes. Use a layer of earth, humus, and compost (about 30 cm thick). However, avoid using materials like sawdust, peat, or sand, as they tend to absorb too much moisture. During temperature fluctuations, this moisture can turn into ice crusts, which can crack the vine and introduce infections.
4. When to Start Covering
Start covering your roses when the air temperature is between 5°C and 7°C. This is the ideal time to prepare your plants for winter.
5. How to Cover Roses
- For long shoots, gently lower them onto the sapling.
- If you expect a mild and snowy winter, place a layer of spruce branches on top of the plants, then let the snow accumulate naturally. The more snow, the better it will insulate the plants.
- For severe winters with temperature fluctuations, cover the roses with spruce, straw, and leaves. Build an arch or a wooden frame about 50 cm high, and cover it with film, cardboard, or agricultural fabric. In the spring, be sure to open it up for ventilation.
- For shoots over 50 cm, use a 10 cm layer of lapnik (spruce branches) and snow. You can also place a cardboard box over the top or use marigold bushes to help hold the snow in place. The lapnik will provide insulation, keeping the temperature inside the cover at a safe -5°C even when it’s much colder outside.
6. What to Do for Old and Species Roses
If you have old or species roses, these do not require covering. These types of roses bloom early and are naturally prepared for the winter months, so no additional covering is necessary.
7. Ongoing Care for Roses
Roses are delicate plants that require careful attention. After the first frosts, start taking the necessary steps to protect them and ensure they are properly prepared for the winter. By following these steps, your roses will have the best chance of thriving and blooming beautifully in the coming seasons.
By taking the time to follow these covering techniques, you’ll help your roses endure the harsh winter and come back strong in the spring.
