When to cover roses for the winter: what temperature can they withstand without this procedure, what do you need to know about it, and what could be the consequences of erroneous actions?

The need for sheltering roses for the winter depends on weather conditions in a particular region and on the cold resistance of the variety of planted flowers.

In most regions of our country, these thermophilic plants need protection in the winter season.

Another reason for the protection of rose bushes during the winter colds is a short cool summer, which reduces the level of preparation of roses for the winter period, the supply of nutrients becomes insufficient.

Why is this procedure so important, and what determines the timing of the procedure?

Information on how the flower transfers the winter can be obtained even before purchase. In central Russia, winter-resistant varieties are chosen for planting. When purchasing plants, it is worth paying attention to the root system, it must be healthy. Most species of roses are capricious, and can die under the influence of low temperatures.

To determine the optimal start time for the protection of bushes for the winter, you need to consider:

climate (weather in winter);
winter hardiness of a specific grade;
general condition of the plant;
way of shelter.

Close attention should be paid to the features of the area. So, if rose bushes are planted in a shaded area, they should be covered earlier and opened later. For breeding the rosary in its area, you need to choose the most illuminated and protected from environmental influences place.

To make the bush more resistant to cold, do not prune it in the fall or cut away wilted leaves and flowers. The increase in winter hardiness is facilitated by the chemical processes occurring in the plant, when the process of ripening of the fetus takes place naturally. The flower fades, and sugar from the leaves gradually passes into the stem, not allowing the plant cells to burst from the cold.

It is more efficient to cope with the downed bushes with wintering. If the plant cannot be bent, then it still has to be cut (no more than 40 cm). Rigid stems are bent in several stages during the week.

When and at what temperature should plants be covered?

Ancient garden species of roses (except tea, bourbon and Chinese), as well as species plants, do not require additional protection in winter, as they bloom once a year, ending their growth very early. The wood of such plant varieties manages to mature well and protects against low temperatures.

The remaining flower varieties must be covered in regions in which the temperature in winter drops below 6 - 7 ° C. And the preparation of plants for wintering should begin when the air temperature at night is stable below 2 ° C.

Under good protection, delicate flowers can withstand a very low temperature (-30 ° C), provided that snow has fallen. Without snow, even a temperature of –12 ° C can be fatal to flowers.

It is very important to know what temperature the flowers can withstand without shelter. Different types of roses have different resistance to cold .:

Park roses. Withstand without shelter, prolonged frosts of at least 15 ° C and short-term frosts up to 17 ° C.
Distillation varieties and hybrids. They can die even at a temperature of -9 ° C.
Rooted cuttings. Survive if the temperature does not drop below 5 ° C.
Climbing roses. The least winter-hardy, the lowest possible temperature for them is 3 ° С.

Many gardeners believe that sheltering flowers should be done as soon as the air temperature drops below zero. However, small frosts are useful for all types of roses, they strengthen them and harden, contribute to the growth of healthy shoots, after wintering.

Quenching of roses is carried out for about three weeks at a temperature of -5 ° C. This allows the plant to go to sleep.

The consequences of improper shelter

Roses do not have a period of marked rest, so if the shelter is carried out too early, the likelihood of developing mold and fungal diseases increases. More dangerous than frost is an increase in humidity during early shelter of the flower garden, when plants can undergo heating and subsequent rotting. The winter shelter should be dry and well ventilated.
Late shelter is fraught with freezing and death of plants. Especially carefully you need to protect roses, young and / or hybrid, with a weak root system. At too low temperatures, the rose freezes the juice in the stems, ice forms, which breaks the stems. Longitudinal cracks (frost-holes) appear, filled with ice crystals.
If the winter thaw began, the roses must be aired, otherwise there may be consequences, as with the early shelter of plants. After wintering, plants are gradually released from protective materials so that they have time to adapt to environmental conditions.

There is no ideal time to start work on sheltering roses, nor is there an ideal temperature and method of shelter. How plants can survive the winter cold depends on many factors. To minimize the risks of death of roses, it is necessary to properly prepare the plant for winteringthen in the spring it will begin to grow with renewed vigor and will delight you with beautiful flowers.