A rose garden can be one of the most spectacular and enjoyable parts of a landscape. People who love working with roses and have the time to devote to their care and feeding will definitely reap the rewards in the form of beautiful and fragrant blooms.
Growers who live in regions of the country that experience cold winters are better off sticking with hardy varieties like rose shrubs and miniatures. But if a gardener just can’t resist adding some hybrid tea roses and climbing species there are ways of protecting them from the cold.
Roses have their own way of preparing for winter but it helps if they have been well cared for during the growing season. People who know roses are keenly aware of their need for the right amount of water and supplemental nutrients to avoid damage from disease or the elements.
The main goal is to check the growth of the rose and to keep it dormant throughout the cold winter months. Growers refer to this as the “hardening off” process. It begins in the fall of the year by reducing the amount of fertilizer being applied to the rose. This should happen well before the first frost hits.
Cold temperatures are not the only weather conditions that can harm a rose. It must also be protected from high winds that can dry out the stems and the danger of damage caused by freeze/thaw/refreeze. Colorado winters are known for fluctuating temperatures that can interfere with the dormancy of the rose. The best ways to keep this from happening are to make sure that the plant is well irrigated and to mound additional soil around its base when the nights start to turn frosty.
Once the ground is completely frozen the extra soil will be mulched over with a substantial layer of straw or compost material. Added protective measures can include wrapping the top of the rose with newspaper lined in straw or surrounding the entire plant with a protective mesh wiring.
Get more tips for protecting all the parts of your landscape from the experts at Co-Cal Landscape in Denver. Call 303-578-4788 today.