Climbing roses: autumn care, preparation for winter, pruning, winter shelter

The rose is the capricious queen of the front garden, which amazes any gardener with its beauty during the flowering period. Climbing roses are no less demanding, but just as beautiful. They have long stems covered in blooms, lifting their buds to any height. These roses are often used to create vertical design compositions and decorate garden arbors. Climbing roses cannot grow year-round throughout Russia due to climate conditions. Therefore, it's important to know how. cover a climbing rose for the winter and how to prune a plant to ensure vigorous growth and lush flowering next season.

Caring for climbing roses in autumn

Climbing roses, like other open-ground plants, complete their growing season in the fall, but preparation for winter should begin in mid-August.

Preparing for winter for climbing plants Roses and care in autumn include:

• Nitrogen fertilizers are discontinued in August because they stimulate active growth of foliage;
• in September, stop additional watering of the plant and loosening of the soil;
• At the end of September, a dose of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is added to the soil to strengthen the root system and the above-ground part of the plant.

In preparation roses for winter The bush needs to be thoroughly cleaned. All buds, flowers, leaves, and damaged or broken shoots need to be removed.

The importance of pruning

Climbing roses come in a variety of varieties, which determines the most convenient pruning method. To ensure the best results for this capricious plant, it needs to be pruned regularly in the fall.

Preparing a climbing rose for winter necessarily includes pruning, which is necessary for:

• removal of old vines;
• complete rejuvenation of the bush;
• thinning the bush to make it uniform;
• lush flowering in the summer of next year;
• complete distribution of nutrients from the aboveground part of the plant to the underground part;
• increasing protective qualities and activating resistance to various diseases and pests;
• provides high-quality material for division.

If a bush isn't pruned for 2-3 years, it will become frequently ill, bloom less, and die completely within 5-7 years. Beginner gardeners are often afraid of damaging the plant with complex pruning methods, but there is a solution. To begin, simply reduce the bush's height by about half or more and remove all old and damaged shoots at the base. Simple pruning will help renew the bush without any risks.

Pruning for winter

Regular bush roses are pruned according to the principle: the lower, the better. This method doesn't work with climbing roses. Inappropriate pruning will result in stunted growth, reduced ornamental value, stretched stems, late flowering, or no flowering at all.

Pruning for winter Pruning is carried out after the nighttime temperature drops to -3°C (33°F). In central Russia, this occurs in late October or early November. If pruning is done earlier, new shoots may grow, which will inevitably die during the winter. Some novice gardeners try to prune at the end of summer, but this is incorrect. The plant will not have time to develop woodiness before the frost and will die. After warmer weather, the resulting rot will become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Differences in pruning depending on the variety

Pruning recommendations vary depending on the variety of the "queen of the garden":

1. Early-blooming varieties include Excelsa, Dorothy, and Perkens. Remove any damaged roots from the purchased seedling, and trim back any stems longer than 30 cm. Immediately after flowering, long shoots emerge from the bush. These should be trained horizontally. The following year, vertical shoots, covered with buds, will form on the horizontal shoots. Remove any shoots that bloomed this year. A climbing rose bush can be considered fully formed in its second or third year.
2. Plants in the second group have poorly developed basal shoots, so old shoots are removed only after new ones have formed. After purchasing a seedling, dry roots are removed and long stems are trimmed. In the second year, the plant begins to bloom on young shoots.
3. A group of roses with long, flexible stems. They bloom on last year's wood. Care consists of pruning the plant after flowering, cutting back to 2-3 buds. Side shoots should be tied up, and weak ones should be removed, as the plant will not bloom on them.
4. Pyramidal, vertically growing. After purchase, trim away any weakened or damaged shoots and inspect the root ball. Healthy stems are secured to a support. After flowering, side shoots with buds are trimmed back to the base. The following year, flowers bloom on the previous year's side shoots; after flowering, these are cut back to a length of 15 cm at the base.
5. Vigorous, robust bushes with shoots up to 6 m long. They can be trained horizontally and vertically. Old shoots are pruned annually. Side shoots are selectively removed.

Following pruning guidelines will ensure lush blooms and a vigorous, vigorous growth of the rose next season. The key to successful pruning is proper temperature control and proper overwintering.

Fertilizing after autumn pruning

The last time a rose bush should be fed this season is after pruning, but you should wait about two weeks for the plant's condition to stabilize. If nitrogen-based fertilizers are used for regular feeding in the summer, this component should be removed from the nutrient solution after the buds open. It stimulates the growth of flowers and shoots. In the fall, it's better to apply fertilizers high in phosphorus and potassium—these products strengthen existing shoots but inhibit new growth and don't stimulate flowering.

Since plants are weakened in autumn, it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizer to moist soil in the evening after sunset – these conditions will help the queen of the flower garden enter winter dormancy smoothly and without injury.

Necessary equipment for pruning

For pruning you will need the following set of tools and equipment:

• pruning shears of different sizes and strengths - for large, old branches you need a massive one;
• folding saw with the ability to change the blade angle;
• pruning shears with one cutting end;
• Teflon gloves (long);
• folding rake.

For comfort, you can buy knee pads. They are made of various materials and are indispensable for gardening.

Pruning shears of various sizes are essential for careful work. Grasping and cutting a large branch without damaging it with a small tool is difficult. Working with young shoots requires caution, so it's best to use pruning shears with a thin blade.

When to prune

When discussing pruning, it's important to note that climbing roses can bloom on last year's or new wood. This is a key factor to consider when caring for the plant. Ramblers bloom only on last year's wood, so they are pruned in the fall after the flowering cycle has ended. Any spent blooms are always removed.

Climbers bloom on young branches no more than one year old, so pruning is recommended in early spring after daytime and nighttime temperatures reach 2°C (37°F). Pruning when there's a risk of nighttime frost is unacceptable, as the frost will freeze the cuts and prevent growth and flowering. Rotting, a fungal infection, is an equally serious problem, so treat the plant with a fungicide after shaping.

Preparing climbing roses for winter

Climbing roses have long shoots that become covered in sharp thorns along their entire length. This makes covering the plant for the winter difficult, so they need to be trimmed. A common mistake among novice gardeners is pruning at the base. This leads to a lack of flowering the following year. The bush will be forced to grow new shoots and gain strength. Losing all its above-ground growth is detrimental to the plant, so its death cannot be ruled out. Since roses are often susceptible to fungal attack, they should be treated with a fungicide before covering them; a solution of copper sulfate is suitable.

Help the shoots to ripen

Climbing roses look stunning during their blooming period, so inexperienced gardeners try to prolong it, making a dangerous mistake. If the rose blooms until the first frost, it may not survive the winter, so nitrogen-rich fertilizers should be discontinued in August.

Stopping fertilizing early will stunt the growth of young shoots—they won't mature before frost and will die, regardless of shelter. This death occurs through rotting of the young branches, and then the fungal infection spreads throughout the entire shrub.

There is no need to loosen or dig the soil between plantings – this is a common cause of damage to the root system and the awakening of dormant buds located underground.

Timing of winter shelter

The main problem is that gardeners try to cover the plant before the frost sets in, believing that roses are frost-intolerant. This is a mistake, as all varieties can withstand nighttime temperatures down to -5 degrees Celsius, and the most common, non-collection varieties can withstand temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius.

A light frost is a necessary part of the plant's hardening off process, so there's no need to rush into constructing a shelter for your front garden favorite. Recommended shelter times can vary significantly depending on the planting region, for example, in the middle zone, the shelter needs to be built by the end of October, while in the Urals, the rose needs to be sent into hibernation already at the end of September.

Cleansing and strengthening the immune system

In early September, the area under the shrubs should be cleared of debris and weeds, as they will provide a fertile substrate for fungal spores to thrive during the winter. To boost the plant's immunity, spray it with a fungicide. Gardeners prefer Fitosporin. After the initial treatment and clearing the soil of debris, remove the plant from its supports and lay it on the ground.

Removing a mature bush from its support is difficult, so it shouldn't be attempted alone. It's important to carefully remove all shoots without damaging them. Any damaged areas should be cut off.

Hilling

It's best to begin the hilling process by covering the root collar—a simple technique that will help protect the bush from adverse conditions. Use dry soil for hilling. A young bush will require about 1 bucket of soil to cover the roots; a mature plant will require 2-4 buckets. The soil is poured into the center of the bush to form a cone.

How to cover a climbing rose for the winter

Covering roses for the winter – is a laborious task, so it's important to build frost protection in advance. There are several ways to prevent shrubs from freezing and rotting. The optimal method depends on the type of shrub, its size, and the size of the planting.

Air-dry method

This method is the newest of all. A frame is created around the perimeter of the rose garden, on which boards are then laid, and on top of this, the covering material is placed. This method is convenient for covering large areas; a single structure solves the problem of covering all plantings. Individual shrubs will need to be covered using other methods.

The advantage of this method is its durability; all materials used can be saved and reused for the next winter. However, the method does have one significant drawback: its low strength. Therefore, it cannot be used in regions with heavy snow cover, as the structure could collapse onto the rose garden.

Shields for roses

The method involves removing the bush from its supports, tying it into a bundle, and placing it on spruce branches secured to the ground in several places with flexible wire. Wooden shields, 80-90 cm wide, are constructed from scrap materials, such as wood. These shields are laid along both sides of the rose garden, forming a "roof" for the rose garden. A layer of polyethylene is then placed on top. Until severe frosts occur, the film on the ends of the structure is left open; after frosts reach -10°C (14°F), the rose garden is tightly covered for 24 hours.

The advantage of this method is its adaptability. In the fall and spring, when the temperature remains stable, the structure can be ventilated, preventing the plants from becoming overheated. The disadvantage is the high cost of construction.

Frame shelters

The frame for this shelter can be made from heavy wire or wood. Branches roses are fixed to the support so that they don't come into contact with the metal. A non-woven material is used for covering, which is covered with a film to protect against precipitation. Comparing this method with previous ones, its disadvantage is significant – there is a high risk of rotting of the crop. The structure must be constantly ventilated.

Conclusion

You can properly prepare a climbing rose for winter by following these simple instructions. Failure to follow these recommendations will lead to various problems, including the plant not blooming for the entire season, developing improperly, or simply not surviving the winter. To ensure your rose bush continues to delight you year after year, you must strictly follow the pruning and winter protection recommendations.