How to cut roses for the winter - we comply with the deadlines and all the subtleties of the autumn haircut of the queen of flowers

Often in the spring, the gaze of gardeners is presented with an unflattering picture in a rose garden, full of frost-bitten shoots. In order to prevent the freezing of the bushes, it is important to know when and how to cut roses for the winter. After all, sheltering the queen of the garden is only half the battle. It is good if young flowers grow in the garden, which are convenient to hide under cover. Perennial and overgrown shrubs are quite difficult to shelter from frost due to their size. This is where timely pruning of plants will help.

Why do you need autumn pruning

During the season, roses grow strongly and give many young shoots, especially at the top of the bush. And if the autumn is long and warm, even in October they can form buds. Most of the thin young twigs do not have time to woody, which means that they will die in winter. Late flower buds also do not have a chance and time to open. But for the entire period, while the temperature is above zero, both the twigs and flower buds receive nutrition, taking it from the rest of the plant. As a result, in the winter the bush will go weakened.

An autumn haircut helps to relieve stress and increase the plant's frost resistance.

In addition, stems that are too long are difficult to cover, and most of their length will still be harvested in the spring. Why not do half of the work in the fall by shortening the shoots so that it is convenient to hide them from the frost? Autumn pruning is especially relevant in regions with cold climates, where the shelter of roses is mandatory.

As you can see, the question of whether it is necessary to prune roses for the winter is no less important than a spring haircut. In this case, it is part of the measures to prepare the rose garden for a safe wintering. Trimmed bushes survive the winter better, which means that the next season will be welcomed stronger.

In the spring, it only remains to carry out sanitary pruning, examining the roses for damage. And correct the shape of the bushes. So autumn gardening also saves time.

When is the best time to prune roses in autumn

Considering that roses continue to grow at above-zero temperatures, an autumn haircut should be carried out as late as possible. Ideally, the bushes are trimmed just before they are sheltered for the winter, after allowing the slices to heal a little. There are no exact dates, because everything depends not on the variety, but on the climate of the growing region.

The warmer and longer the autumn, the later the roses are cut. Cutting prematurely will only wake up the kidneys.

However, it is important to be in time before the onset of stable frosts. As soon as the temperature on the thermometer drops to minus 2 ° C during the day, you can start pruning.

Estimated terms for different regions are as follows:

• southern strip: late November, sometimes even mid-December;
• middle band: late October - early November;
• northern regions - no later than mid-October.

It is only necessary to prune roses in dry weather, preferably in the morning. Then, by the onset of the nighttime cold snap, the slices will have time to dry out and drag on a little.

How to prune roses for the winter - general rules for any type of pruning

Regardless of what time trimming works are carried out, there are general principles for these procedures. First of all, this concerns the instrument: it must be sharp and sterile. Sharp to leave a clean cut, not a laceration.Sterile so as not to spread any infection throughout the area.

To remove or shorten young shoots, it is used secateurs... It is more convenient to cut woody branches with a special small hacksaw.

It is also important to make the right cut. It should be oblique, directed from top to bottom, so that moisture can drain freely and quickly. Moreover, it should always be cut above the outer bud, then the new branches will not intersect. If you make a cut above the inner bud, then the next year young shoots will grow inside the bush, thickening it. The location of the cut is not difficult to determine - you should retreat 5 mm above the kidney, no more, no less.

All diseased and dried branches are subject to mandatory and complete removal. Late and thin growth is also better to cut out, it will not have time to get stronger and will freeze.

How to prune roses for the winter - pruning methods

As in spring, sanitary pruning is acceptable for roses in autumn. Some growers also call it traditional. First of all, it is imperative to completely cut out all diseased and dried branches. Also remove the root shoots so that it does not pull juices. Too thin stems are also subject to removal - in winter they will still freeze out. Corrective pruning is carried out with the remaining stems.

Depending on how much length of shoots will be harvested, there are several pruning methods:

1. Lightweight. Used periodically to maintain the shape of plants. The stems are shortened by 1/3 of the length.
2. Moderate (it's average). It is used for bush varieties. After cutting, only half the length of the branches remains.
3. Strong. It is carried out in order to rejuvenate the old bush, leaving no more than 15 cm of stem length after cutting. Strong pruning can also be used for young (planted in spring) roses. She will help them get through the first winter.

For fast growing varieties of roses, the light form of pruning is not used. It will accelerate the already active growth rates, which will lead to thickening of the bushes.

In turn, flowering will suffer from this. The ovary will become smaller, and the flowers themselves will be crushed.

How to prune roses for the winter, depending on their type

The pruning method can still differ in such a way as the peculiarities of flowering. Namely, on which shoots, young or old, the flower buds are laid. If in some species the shoots of the current year can and should be removed, in others it is only slightly shortened. Clematis have a similar pruning scheme.

Based on this, all varieties of roses are divided into 3 groups:

1. Blooming on the lashes of the current year. Faded branches in autumn can be drastically cut off, leaving 30 cm in tall varieties and 15 cm in dwarf species. This is how polyanthus, hybrid tea, miniature, hybrid roses, as well as patio and floribunda roses are pruned.
2. Forming flower buds on last year's shoots. In the fall, the lashes that have grown over the season are not cut at all or are shortened a little. The exception is the rejuvenating pruning of the old rose garden. Then 3-year-old branches are removed completely, and 2-year-old ones - partially. According to this scheme, ramblers and some large-flowered varieties such as Flamentants are cut.
3. Forming buds on both young and last year's stems. These include park roses, shrub shrubs, and climbing large-flowered varieties. They are not pruned in the fall in order to preserve all the flower buds. If necessary, only remove broken, diseased stems and shorten too long lashes.

Important! Separately, it should be said about ground cover roses, which are almost never cut in autumn. Short pruning is carried out for the purpose of rejuvenation only once every 5 years. To do this, the lashes are shortened, leaving no more than 30 cm in length. The rest of the time, the bush is only thinned out, removing overgrown shoots.

What to do after pruning and is it necessary to cover roses

Roses are thermophilic plants, but in the southern strip they may well winter without shelter. Moreover, there are many varieties with increased frost resistance.After pruning, it will be enough to remove the leaves from the remaining shoots and mulch the trunk circle... You can simply build a mound out of the ground around the stem. Or cover it with sawdust.

For the prevention of diseases and the appearance of pests in autumn, it is advisable to spray roses with a solution of ferrous sulfate (3%). Processing is carried out after pruning, before covering the bushes. But first, they must dry well.

In the Moscow region and regions with frosty and little snowy winter, the rose garden needs to be covered. A frame is built over the plants and covered with spruce branches or with a special material (lutrasil, spandbond). It is undesirable to use the film, the roses do not breathe under it, and you will have to ventilate the shelter. And if it gets warmer in spring, the bushes will mate under the film that has not been removed.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in how to prune roses in the fall. All that is needed from gardeners is a little time and utmost care. Examining the plants, it is important to identify the signs of the disease in time and get rid of the affected stems. Then cut the garden queen, taking into account her condition and species. The final chord of the autumn work is the shelter of the bushes. The video below shows in detail how to prepare the rose garden for wintering.

Shelter of a climbing rose for the winter - video