Roses in autumn require a number of care treatments related to the protection of these plants for the winter. Autumn is also a great time to plant new rose seedlings in the garden or to replant the roses already growing in it. Przemysław, an experienced rose grower and an expert on our forum, suggests how to prepare roses for winter and how to proceed during the autumn planting of roses.
Fall roses require special care. All summer they enjoyed
us with their flowers, and now we have to prepare them for winter.
From spring to autumn, Mr. Przemysław Martyniak, a passionate long-time producer of rose bushes, appeared on our forum as an expert. He has been dealing with roses for 12 years, and his family tradition of producing these beautiful shrubs dates back over 50 years. After the end of Mr. Przemysław's duties, our editorial office received additional questions from readers about the autumn planting of roses and how to deal with these shrubs in the pre-winter period. So I asked our expert to answer the most frequently asked questions about roses.
How to plant roses in autumn?
Autumn is a great time to plant new roses in your garden. Older rose bushes can also be transplanted to new positions. Transplanting roses during this period allows you to minimize the risk of damaging the shrubs and facilitates their adoption in a new place of cultivation. The autumn planting of roses is also supported by a large selection of seedlings of these shrubs at this time of the year.
In order to choose the right method of planting roses in the fall, first of all, it is necessary to distinguish the variety of seedlings purchased.In the fall, there are bare-root roses, roses with wrapped roots (in capers), roses with a root block and roses in containers. The method of planting different types of rose seedlings is different.
How to plant bare-root and caper roses?
The most popular in the fall are roses that are sold bare-rooted. Not only because of their freshness (they are dug straight from the ground), but also because of their attractive price. We usually plant such roses from the end of September to the first frost. Can also be planted in spring, but the final planting date is the end of April. A later date may result in us having to deal with such roses more carefully. If we plant in spring, remember to properly moisten the plant. Before planting, it is best to soak them in water for a few hours. This procedure is not recommended in autumn!
Remember! If we plant bare-root roses in the fall, it is not advisable to wet the seedlings first.
In autumn we can plant roses with bare roots. The hole in which
we will plant the rose must be large enough to prevent the roots from curling up.
How to plant roses with a root ball?
In these roses, the root ball is sufficiently moist, so soaking in water is not necessary. However, it is good to water the plant immediately after planting and root it out.
How to plant roses in containers?
We usually get these types of roses from large producers. Such plants are sold all year round and can also be planted in autumn. Remember to check if the root ball is sufficiently developed. It is enough to pick up the rose with the pot, gently grabbing the neck. If the whole pot rises, the lump is sufficient.
How and where to plant roses in the fall?
Choosing a planting site is also important.The best position for roses is a sunny and airy place with a high content of humus in the soil. Roses can root quite deeply, so it will be good if the soil is deeply cultivated (not too compact). Roses prefer humus and sandy loam soil. If the soil is too loose, we can add compost to it. However, if the soil is too compact, it can be loosened with sand.
When planting roses, remember about a sufficiently large hole. The hole should be large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them (or in the case of roses in containers, so that the entire root ball fits into the hole). The place of grafting the rose should be a few centimeters underground. We should also remember to compact the ground thoroughly after planting.
When plantingrose in the fallno chemicals are used as well, which could affect the acceptability of the seedlings. Only when we are concerned that the planting site is extremely infected with diseases can we use a soil disinfectant.However, in this case, such measures are not applied immediately before planting, but several weeks in advance.
Should I prune my rose roots before planting in the fall?
Usually, it is recommended to trim the root tips of the planted roses to encourage the roots to grow and enlarge the surface of the root ball. By trimming the roots, we also limit the water loss by the plant, which facilitates the adoption of new seedlings. How to trim? There is no clear-cut rule for this. Just trim the root tips lightly.
What to do if we don't have time to plant roses before the onset of frosts?
I usually don't recommend keeping roses for the winter. It is known that fall is the best time to plant. In spring, the roses take longer to grow and practically one year of the plant's life is lost. But if we have no other option, the best way to store it is the so-called planting of seedlings. We dig the hole at an angle.Place the seedlings on it, and then cover almost all the seedlings with the shoots with soil. We only leave a few centimeters above the ground. This is the best and proven method.
Another way is to plant a rose in a pot and store it in a dark and cool place, remembering to water it frequently so that the plant does not dry out.
How to protect roses for the winter?
Mounds of roses in autumn
Mating is usually necessary and basic in the case of large-flowered and bedding roses. The mound is usually a 15-20 cm layer of soil. It helps to protect, above all, the place of budding and the lower fragments of shoots. In the case of bedding roses, it is recommended to create mounds of garden soil or decomposed compost. We usually make the mounds during theplanting of roses in the fallIf a long fall is expected, the mounds can be made later. You just have to remember to be in time before the frosts.
It is worth finding out immediately when to remove the mounds. It is difficult to predict here, but usually you shouldn't take them off before April. Removing the mounds too early will cause the night temperature drops in April to infect the plants.
Covering roses with branches and decorating
It is not always requiredto cover the roses in the fall , but it certainly won't hurt. In winter, sun and wind are more dangerous to roses than drops in temperature. It is from the wind and sun that we protect our roses with spruce and fir branches. In January and February, when the sun often comes out, the shoots begin to evaporate, but the roots are not able to replenish the lack of water from the frozen ground. Hence, roses usually die not from the harsh winter, but from drying out.
In autumn the roses need to be prepared for winter.
How to protect tree roses (grafted on a trunk)?
In this case, we have several places to cover. The first is the crown of the tree, where a burlap sack is usually used. We cover the entire crown with a bag and tie it under the crown. Many people, on the other hand, forget or do not know that the rose has two vaccinations. The second place is the base of the trunk. The mound is most effective there. Additionally, you can cover the entire trunk. A good cover for the trunk is e.g. a spongy tube often used to cover central heating pipes in the house.
How to protect climbing roses in autumn?
In the case of this group of roses, covering is the most labor-intensive. Single copies of climbing roses can be covered, just like other roses - with spruce, jute or agrotextile twigs. It is more difficult to cover the roses growing against the walls of the building. You can cover the entire wall with a straw mat, or large size jute bags and other material. Such a curtain will most effectively protect roses from wind and sun in winter.You can also secure roses on the pergola.
Which roses should not be covered in autumn?
Most of the varieties grown in the Polish climate need winter protection. There are, however, varieties that are exceptionally good at dealing with frosts. These are mainly wild, historical, park and climbing roses that bloom once a season. There are, of course, exceptions among them, so it is not a strict rule. There are also exceptions for large-flowered roses, where there are more resistant varieties. It is worth following the data provided by the manufacturers. Examples of cultivars that do better in our climate are: 'Alba Meidiland', 'Alchymist', 'Amber Cover', 'Blaze Superior', 'Mister Lincoln', 'Montezuma', 'Rosarium Uetersen'.
Should I prune my roses in the fall?
Before winter, roses should usually not be pruned, because then the risk of severe frosts increases. By pruning the rose, we reveal the delicate structure of the shoots. You can only cut out very sick shoots that are dangerous to the plant.
We perform the correct cutting of roses in spring in the case of large-flowered and bedding roses as well as recurring climbing roses. However, for park and once-a-season climbing roses, pruning is best done after flowering. Trimming such roses in the spring would reduce the flowering significantly in the summer.
When pruning roses, first of all, remember about a sharp and clean pruning shears. A defocused secateurs will only cause wounds through which disease-causing microorganisms can easily enter. We usually cut about 0.5 cm above the leaf bud.
The principle of spring cutting is mostly the same. We completely cut out sick, thin and too old shoots. However, we shorten he althy shoots. Trim large-flowered and bedding roses to 1/3 of their height. Park repeating flowering up to 1/2 height.
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