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Every gardener dreams of beautiful rose bushes growing on his site. These flowers are quite finicky, so they need special care. Still, even in the harsh conditions of Siberia, beautiful buds can be grown. The main thing is to properly prepare flowers for wintering. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to cover roses in Siberia so that they do not suffer from frost.
Roses and Siberian climate
In warmer regions, roses do not need to be covered. Snow is a natural shelter to keep plants from freezing. In this case, the bushes are simply cut off and fed in the fall. In this form, roses can safely endure even the most severe cold.
In Siberia, where winters are much harsher, you will have to think about building an artificial shelter. In warm regions, a shelter that is too warm can cause the bushes to dry out. But in Siberia you can't do without it.
Preparing roses for winter
The preparation of roses consists mainly of 2 stages:
- top dressing;
- pruning.
This must be done on time and correctly. From the beginning of August, it is necessary to stop watering the bushes. Then, in October, you will need to water the roses abundantly so that the water penetrates deep into the soil and nourishes the roses throughout the winter. In order to strengthen the root system and stems, it is necessary to feed the plants. For this, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are used.
Then the bushes are pruned. All leaves and dried branches are removed from them. All damaged and broken shoots are also cut off. The pruning method largely depends on the variety of roses. For instance, standard roses do not cut too much. For the winter, they are carefully laid out on the ground and buried in. Therefore, it is necessary to cut only those branches that do not bend well. So, it will be more convenient to cover the bush.
For climbing roses, you need to cut off all old and dried branches. If I run for more than three years, then it can be safely cut off. They also remove branches that are too long, which in the future may simply break from a strong wind. It is imperative to remove branches from the bushes that are affected by pests and diseases. Then they need to be burned so that pathogens do not spread to other plants.
Under natural conditions, the ripening of the fruit gives the plant a signal that it is time to enter the resting phase. Thus, the plant will not start to form young shoots.
Some gardeners believe that pruning only harms plants, since pathogens can easily penetrate through the pruning site. But at the same time, pruning helps the plant to withstand severe frosts, and the branches in this case do not suffer in any way.
Shelter of bushes for the winter from needles
In Siberia, caring for roses is much more difficult. In order for the plants to easily survive the winter, they need to be prepared in advance for this. It must be remembered that only well-groomed and strong bushes are more resistant. To do this, they need to be regularly fed and pruned throughout the season.
An excellent shelter for bushes can be built from ordinary spruce branches. But it is important to remember that this material is only suitable for those roses whose height after cutting is no more than 50 centimeters. It is necessary to build such a shelter closer to the onset of frost, since in warm weather, plants can simply rot under a thick layer of branches.
First you need to loosen the soil around the bush. This should be done very carefully so as not to hurt the root system.The main thing is that the thickness of the loose soil is about 5 centimeters. After that, the bush is treated with a solution of copper sulfate. You can also use Bordeaux liquid. Then the topsoil is carefully sprinkled with wood ash. This will protect the plant from pests and various fungal diseases.
When the temperature drops to -5 ° C at night, the bushes can be covered with peat. Young seedlings spud up to the middle of their growth, and taller plants up to 1/3 of the height of the entire bush. In this form, roses are not afraid of even the most severe frosts.
It is important that the soil or peat is dry. So, air will freely penetrate to the plant.
After that, you can start building the shelter itself. To do this, spread pine or spruce branches on top. Do not fill in the blanks with dry leaves, grass, or sawdust. Such materials will quickly begin to grind when moisture gets into the structure. Roses can only be covered in dry, sunny weather.
Greenhouse construction made of polyethylene
Many gardeners are accustomed to covering bushes with polyethylene. Such a shelter perfectly protects plants from the cold. And with proper ventilation, the bushes will definitely not weed out. For the construction of such a shelter, you will need the following materials and devices:
- metal rods or bows;
- roofing material;
- polyethylene film.
To properly cover roses with polyethylene, you must follow these steps:
- The first step, of course, is to prepare the roses. They are fed, pruned and tied up so that they can be conveniently laid on the ground.
- In this way, you can cover both one bush and entire rows. Metal arms are installed over the roses. This can be done in advance, and then just throw the covering material on top. In addition, you can dig out water taps so that it does not flow inside.
- When frosts come, you should cover the arcs with roofing felt, and it, in turn, with polyethylene. Such a shelter will not allow moisture to accumulate, which can cause damping. The edges of the roofing material can be slightly raised to allow fresh air to flow to the flowers.
In addition to roofing material, you can use ordinary cardboard or bituminous paper. It is installed on metal arcs and then covered with polyethylene. In this case, polyethylene protects the structure from moisture ingress.
We remove the shelter in the spring
As soon as it gets warmer outside, the roses will need to be freed from the shelter. It is important not to do it too early, or, conversely, late. To prevent excess moisture from accumulating in the beds with roses in the spring, they need to be planted in raised areas. They usually warm up first.
Roses need to be opened gradually so that the bushes get used to sunlight and temperature changes. To do this, first, the edges of the covering material are raised. Then it is necessary to fully open one side of the structure. After a while, the shelter is removed completely.
Spruce or pine branches are removed from the bushes immediately after the snow begins to melt. If you do not have time to do this, moisture can seep inside, and the plant will begin to rot. At first, it is necessary to shade the bushes until they get used to direct sunlight. For this, 5 to 10 days will be enough.
Immediately after adaptation, you can proceed to spring pruning of roses. All shoots that have dried up over the winter must be removed. Next, you should feed the bushes so that they gain strength before the start of the growing season. Also, do not forget about watering and loosening the soil.
Conclusion
Now you know exactly how to cover roses for the winter in Siberia. As you can see from this article, it is not necessary to use expensive materials for this. Even ordinary pine branches can save plants from frost. The main thing is that this shelter does not interfere with the flowers receiving the required amount of fresh air and does not cause the bushes to dry out. Even in winter, it is important to constantly ventilate the roses. You also need to adhere to the correct deadlines.If you cover the roses sooner or too late, then they are unlikely to be able to withstand the harsh Siberian frosts.