Good afternoon, my reader. Even not very experienced novice gardeners know well that it is necessary to qualitatively prepare rose bushes for winter. Well-prepared roses will easily endure even severe frosts and winter thaws and will welcome them strong and hardy next spring. But when covering roses for the winter, many gardeners make mistakes that can lead to the weakening and even death of the bushes. Let's name 6 mistakes that must be avoided.
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1. Hilling damp earth
Hilling roses can only be done with dry soil or peat. Therefore, a dry sunny day is chosen for this operation, even after the onset of the first cold weather. They dig the roses to a depth of half a bayonet with a shovel, without touching the roots, sprinkle them, sprinkling them with dry soil, shavings, sawdust, hay or straw. Then they are covered with spruce branches and on top with covering material (lutrasil).
2. Leaves on stems
Before covering, the roses must be freed from the leaves on the stems. It is better to remove them with a sharp pruner or scissors; they should not be cut off so as not to injure the plant. If there are many bushes, you can remove the foliage gradually.
3. Do not remove foliage from the site
You do not need to use fallen leaves as mulch or shelter - they can be infected with bacteria, pests are always ready to hibernate under them. It is better to immediately remove the leaves from the site - pour them onto a compost heap or burn them.
4. Bending of stems during frost
If the stems need to be bent to the ground before sheltering, do not do this in frosty weather. You can damage the bark, which cracks easily from the cold, and open up access to infections and rot. It is better to bend the tall stems down gradually, tying them with a rope and lowering everything lower every day. You can start the process at the end of September, and by the first frost the roses will be ready for shelter.
5. Using natural fiber twine
Twine made from cotton or other natural fibers is susceptible to damage and decay. A broken rope will easily break under the pressure of snow and stems, damaging the branches. In addition, it can be infected with pathogenic bacteria. It is better to use synthetic ropes - they are stronger and safer. It is easier to remove them in the spring.
6. Insufficiently strong shelter
The frame for making a rose shelter must be strong enough to withstand the pressure of wet snow, the weight of which can be significant. The most reliable will be a frame made of metal arcs up to 50 cm high. From above it can be closed with roofing material or synthetic insulation, which does not allow moisture to get inside the shelter during warming. This design will reliably shelter roses from cold and thaw. The alternation of winter thaws with frosts is more destructive for roses than constant cold weather.
Conclusion
Having avoided these mistakes when preparing your rose garden for the winter, you can be sure that the roses will survive winter well and will delight you with strong healthy bushes in the spring, and with abundant flowering in the summer.
Do you grow roses in your garden?
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