Winter shelter for roses: store-bought and homemade

Roses originate in Italy. Winter temperatures there never drop below 3°C. Russian gardeners have to prepare their flowers for winter, protecting them from frost. Ready-made shelters, such as winter houses for roses, removable covers, shelter stakes, and industrial covering materials are available for sale. Industrial products and improvised materials are used to preserve flower collections.

Rose and winter hardiness

Rose hardiness depends on the species. Some varieties in the central part of the country can survive the winter without any protection. In the Moscow region and other regions of the central part of the country, modern hybrid varieties of the Rugosa rose overwinter without problems.

Canadian park roses are distinguished by their high frost resistance:

• Adelaide Hoodless;
• Prairie Joy;
• Winnipeg Parks;
• Hope of Humanity.

Popular among gardeners climbing rosesSome varieties tolerate temperatures down to -30°C (Alchemist, Hendel), while others freeze to -7°C. Climbing roses that bloom continuously require good winter protection:

• Lagoon;
• Parade;
• Paul Scarlett.

Most hybrid tea varieties cannot withstand freezing winters and are easier to grow in southern regions. They require mandatory shelter if winter temperatures drop to -20°C. Floribunda roses are frost-hardy, but in Siberia and the Urals, they are covered for the winter.

When purchasing a seedling, it's important to check the USDA hardiness zone. There are 13 zones, each with its own minimum temperature rating. These ratings are given without regard to cover. With a protective layer, roses can withstand temperatures 5-10°C below the recommended minimum.

Selecting covering material

In winter, bushes suffer not only from low temperatures. Many inexperienced gardeners experience rotting due to improper shelter. In the middle zone Temperature fluctuations are common. Plants can become infected when using natural materials. When deciding how to cover your roses for the winter, consider:

• frost resistance of the variety;
• weather conditions of the area;
• properties of the material (purchased, natural).

Purchased

Industrially produced rose coverings for the winter vary in composition, price, and quality. Agrotextiles are sold in rolls or pieces of a specific size. Covering properties are determined by density, measured in g/m². The higher the density, the more reliable the protection.

Lutrasil

A lightweight, durable material that lasts for several seasons. Advantages of lutrasil:

• breathable;
• there is no greenhouse effect underneath it;
• the canvas does not get wet.

White lutrasil with a density of 60 g/m² is best for protecting flower beds from frost. Roses are covered with the material folded in two layers.

A less dense material (30-50 g/m²) can be used to cover bushes. It is folded into 3-4 layers. A linear meter of lutrasil costs between 25 and 50 rubles. Covers are sewn onto upright, thick shoots using the covering material. Flexible rose varieties are bent to the ground, leaving a gap of 10-20 cm, arches are installed, and non-woven fabric is draped over them. The fabric is secured to the sides with pins, bricks, or boards.

Geotextile

Geotextiles have long been used in commercial rose gardens in the Moscow region. The fabric is sewn together in three layers and used to cover large areas. All rose varieties overwinter well under them without hilling. Group plantings are covered with a single piece. Covers are sewn for standard and climbing roses.

The canvas is laid on arches or supports, which helps distribute the snow load. From the bushes remove leaves and bend them down. The soil is covered with mulch made from a mixture of dry sawdust and horse manure.

Geotextiles are used in construction and landscaping. They are made of polymer fibers and are sold in rolls of varying widths. Ready-made geotextile covers are available at gardening stores. The advantages of this material include:

• strength;
• durability;
• frost resistance;
• environmental friendliness;
• air and water permeability;
• no condensation.

Polyethylene film

Gardeners' attitudes toward plastic film as a frost protection method are mixed. While there are some negative reviews, many use it successfully. In regions with harsh winters and thick snow cover, roses overwinter well under a plastic film cover. The air cushion underneath protects the roots and shoots from freezing.

Spunbond

This material can be used for several seasons. It is water and air permeable. Spunbond is inexpensive, making it affordable. It is used for wrapping single standard bushes, stretched over frames made of plastic (metal) arches, beams, and willow twigs.

Spunbond is used in 2-3 layers, only white in color, density:

• 30 g/m²;
• 40 g/m²;
• 60 g/m².

Sackcloth

Jute bags or polypropylene sugar bags are a budget-friendly option for covering roses for the winter. They are placed over individual bushes. Dry leaves are placed inside, the bottom is secured with twine, and the top is covered with soil. Vegetable nets are filled with dry fallen leaves and used as insulation.

Building materials

Materials left over from building summer cottages and country houses can be useful. Boards and beams are used to construct shields and shelters. Roofing felt is laid on the ground before the shoots are laid. Slate sheets are used to construct rose shelters. Expanded clay is used as a mulch around the tree trunks.

Improvised means

To fix the covering material, various available materials are used:

• ropes;
• leg-split;
• wooden or rebar pegs;
• welding electrodes instead of staples;
• pieces of wire;
• boards;
• bricks.

Spruce branches

Not everyone has access to spruce branches. They're used by those living near pine forests. They're not ideal for covering large rose gardens; you need a lot of them. To protect low-growing rose bushes from frost, you need to create a layer of branches at least 30 cm thick.

The spruce branch shelter should be covered with snow, and covered with a covering material if there is no snow. Covering the roses with spruce branches is possible when daytime temperatures drop to -6°C.

Leaves

In autumn, any garden is full of leaves. These can be used to protect against frost if the trees are healthy. Rose bushes should only be covered with dry material. Wet leaves encourage the development of fungal diseases in roses.

Leaves will scatter without additional cover. Cardboard boxes, netting, fine-mesh plastic netting, wooden boards, and other available materials can be used to secure them around the bush.

Sawdust

Sawdust is best used in combination with other types of covering (boards, covering material). They are more suitable for regions with harsh winters where thaws are rare. Not all sawdust is suitable for covering flower beds. Avoid using:

• fine fraction;
• furniture production waste containing chemicals.

For covering, it's best to use coniferous sawdust, at least 10 mm in size. It compacts less, is hygroscopic, and has antiseptic properties. Sawdust is used for insulation in various ways:

• fill up the tree trunk circle, put shields over the bushes, cover them with film;
• The sawdust is loosely filled into the nets, placed under the vines, arches are placed on top, and covering material;
• In the northern regions, shields are placed over low bushes in the shape of a house, and covered with a thick layer of sawdust on top.

Humus

This organic material won't protect the above-ground portion of the plant from frost. It's used as a soil mulch, protecting it from freezing and increasing fertility. Humus is mixed with dry sawdust to make it more loose.

Three best designs for covering roses

Covering materials alone won't protect roses from frost. They are protected from low temperatures by the air cushion created by a rigid structure and covering material.

Frame method

The frame method is suitable for rose gardens where rose bushes are grown widely apart. Covering them with a solid cloth is expensive and difficult. Three to five rods are inserted around each plant and secured with wire at the top.

The result is a pyramid. It is wrapped in several layers of lutrasil or another non-woven covering material is used instead. The structure is secured to the ground at the bottom with staples and at the top with twine.

A different type of structure is built over large rose beds. Arches or wooden panels are used. The resulting dome (house) is covered with covering material (film, lutrasil). Until the weather gets too cold, the ends of the frame tunnel are kept open; when frost sets in, they are closed.

The arcs are driven into the ground, the lower part of the shields is secured with pegs, and the covering material is pinned to the ground with wire or electrode staples, or weighed down with boards or bricks. During thaws, the tunnels (pyramids) are ventilated to prevent the roots from rotting.

Fence with embankment

An option for singly planted bushes. Fences are built around their perimeter and filled with dry backfill:

• leaves;
• hay;
• straw.

To build a fence, use stakes (rods) and mesh (plastic, metal) or scraps of thin plywood, cardboard boxes.

Lutrasil cocoon

This method is suitable for protecting single-growing standard and tall rose varieties from frost. To construct the cocoon, you'll need a piece of lutrasil and rope (twine). The vines are left attached to the support. The entire bush is wrapped in several layers of non-woven fabric and secured with rope at the bottom.

The roots are also insulated:

• hilling up;
• mulch.

Reviews

Alexey, 32 years old, Moscow region

In our area, not a single winter goes by without a thaw. I tried cover roses Spruce litter (branches, needles) was a disappointing result. The shoots often rotted. Now I use arches and non-woven covering material.

Svetlana, 43 years old, Moscow region

I decided against using plastic wrap. It's too much work. I need to uncover the roses in time in the spring to prevent them from dying. I cover them with lutrasil. It can be removed in May, and nothing will happen to the bushes. I also decided against hilling them up. My plot is damp, the soil is loamy. The shoots turned black and cracked.

Tamara, 60 years old, Kaluga

I cover the bushes with oak leaves, place arches crisscrossing them, and stretch the plastic over them. I open it slightly during thaws. There are losses, as sometimes I don't have time to open it in time. I plan to switch to spunbond.

In conclusion

Rose lovers note that all varieties of roses bloom earlier, more abundantly, and for a longer period if they are cover for the winterPlants are less likely to suffer from fungal infections because winter shelter prevents rot, late blight, and other diseases.