By early November it is time to start the program of winterizing garden roses (perhaps a week or two earlier in the far North.) All garden roses - the hybrid teas, hybrid perpetuals, polyanthas and climbers - require special protection to bring them through the winter alive.
The first step in giving them winter protection is to hill each plant with pulverized soil. Hilling should be at least 10 to 12 inches high, and the same or wider at the base. Soil should be packed tightly at the base of the plant so that air pockets are not present that would tend to destroy the insulating value.
The canes can be handled two ways at this stage - either cut back to 15-18 inches or left unpruned but tied together so that they do not whip in the wind. Later on, when temperatures fall to ten degrees above zero or thereabouts, cover the hilled plant with a six to 12-inch mulch of hay, straw or dry leaves. Usually this kind of protection will bring tender garden roses through the winter safely.
Additional protection can be given to plants such as heliconia plant growing in the more rugged areas of the North, by placing a waterproof covering over the mulch to keep it and the soil beneath dry during the winter, thus improving the insulating value of the entire covering. Do NOT use any items which will cause heating of the mulch when the sun strikes it.
Climbing roses are winterized in a similar manner, except that the canes are not cut back but must be saved because it is on them that next year's crop of flowers is to be borne. After hilling, carefully lay the canes on a cushion of hay, straw or dry leaves, then sprinkle on some poison mice bait and cover with one of the mulches of waterproof covering mentioned. There is a great danger of mice chewing on the canes and destroying them. So do not forget to use one of the standard brands of mouse bait which can be purchased from your garden stores. Poison bait is not as important for the other roses, but it can be used where mice are more than an ordinary menace. - 29955
The first step in giving them winter protection is to hill each plant with pulverized soil. Hilling should be at least 10 to 12 inches high, and the same or wider at the base. Soil should be packed tightly at the base of the plant so that air pockets are not present that would tend to destroy the insulating value.
The canes can be handled two ways at this stage - either cut back to 15-18 inches or left unpruned but tied together so that they do not whip in the wind. Later on, when temperatures fall to ten degrees above zero or thereabouts, cover the hilled plant with a six to 12-inch mulch of hay, straw or dry leaves. Usually this kind of protection will bring tender garden roses through the winter safely.
Additional protection can be given to plants such as heliconia plant growing in the more rugged areas of the North, by placing a waterproof covering over the mulch to keep it and the soil beneath dry during the winter, thus improving the insulating value of the entire covering. Do NOT use any items which will cause heating of the mulch when the sun strikes it.
Climbing roses are winterized in a similar manner, except that the canes are not cut back but must be saved because it is on them that next year's crop of flowers is to be borne. After hilling, carefully lay the canes on a cushion of hay, straw or dry leaves, then sprinkle on some poison mice bait and cover with one of the mulches of waterproof covering mentioned. There is a great danger of mice chewing on the canes and destroying them. So do not forget to use one of the standard brands of mouse bait which can be purchased from your garden stores. Poison bait is not as important for the other roses, but it can be used where mice are more than an ordinary menace. - 29955
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