Climbing roses are a type of rose that have long stems. The length of the stems can reach several meters. They definitely need support. The flowers are large and varied in color and appearance.
Climbing roses in landscape design are used for vertical gardening of small architectural forms: arches, pergolas, gazebos, rotundas, and so on; they decorate the walls of buildings and structures, performing the function of dividing into zones or hiding utility buildings.
Climbing roses can vary in appearance; they are conventionally divided into 3 groups:
- Climbing - the length of the stems reaches 3 m. They were formed from crossing rambler roses and hybrid tea roses, as well as floribunda roses and remontant varieties. They are called climbing or climbers. Climbing roses bloom twice a season with large flowers similar to tea roses. Winter is tolerated with shelter;
- Semi-climbing - climbing, stem height from 1.5 to 3 m, formed as a result of mutations of floribunda, grandiflora, and hybrid tea roses. They differ from their ancestors in their tall stature and larger flowers. Grown mainly in the southern regions;
Climbing or rambler roses - the length of bright green stems can be up to 15 m, the leaves are leathery and small. Flowers with a subtle aroma, simple or double or semi-double, are located along the entire length of the climbing stem.The plant blooms profusely in the second half of summer for a month, is frost-resistant and only needs light shelter.
Climbing roses have constant shoot growth, which is why buds are formed throughout the growing season. Flowering lasts until frost. This is one of the species characteristics of climbing roses.
Caring for climbing roses in autumn
To climbing rose smoothly completed the growing season, preparation for winter should begin at the end of August. They stop watering the plant and loosening the soil underneath it. From fertilizing exclude nitrogen, as it promotes the growth of leaves and shoots. When feeding, they rely on potassium and phosphorus. They strengthen the woody part of the trunk and root system. Autumn care is aimed at preparing climbing roses for winter.
In a climbing rose, the unripe part of the shoots, most of the leaves and all the buds are cut out. They carry out a sanitary inspection and remove damaged shoots: broken and infected with diseases. Caring for a climbing rose in autumn comes down to: pruning bush and covering it for the winter.
Particular attention should be paid to pruning a rose bush, since the correct pruning determines how profusely the bush will bloom in the next season and its decorative properties.
Climbing roses form buds on last year's shoots and bloom once a season. Therefore, the shoots on which there were flowers should be removed completely, at the root. The best time for removal is autumn. During the growing season, about 10 replacement shoots grow, on which flowers form in the next season.
Another group of climbing roses blooms twice per season on shoots of different ages. With age, the shoots weaken and fewer flowers are formed on them.Shoots aged 4 years or more should be cut out completely, to the base. The flower has about 3 recovery shoots at the age of 1-3 years, and 4-6 main shoots.
For climbing roses that bloom twice per season, only sanitary maintenance is carried out in the fall. pruning, removing damaged shoots. In the spring, depending on how the plant overwintered, shoots that are older and those that did not survive the winter are cut out. They also shorten the tops of the shoots.
Next, they are removed from the support, bent to the ground, tying the climbing shoots together. If the bush grows separately, then it is fixed with staples. If several climbing roses grow in a row, then the bent plants are fixed to each other. There should be a layer of dry leaves or spruce branches on the soil.
This must be done at above-zero temperatures; when temperatures set below zero, the shoots become fragile and are easily damaged.
Climbing roses can remain in a bent position without shelter for up to 2 weeks. Only when the temperature approaches -5-7°C can you begin to cover the plants. The bushes are covered with spruce branches on top, and then with lutrasil or spunbond.
Another way to prepare for winter: extend the arches along the entire length, and stretch the covering material on top, securely fixing it at the edges. If you use agrofibre, then cover it tightly, without leaving holes; the material itself allows air to pass through. If you use plastic film, you should leave vents so that the plants can breathe and not dry out.
A reliable way to protect a climbing rose from the winter cold is to build a hut from wooden or plywood panels, which are covered with roofing felt or agrofibre on top. In such structures there should be enough space for a layer of air. The height from the cone to the lying bushes is at least 20 cm. The huts are built at above-zero temperatures until the temperature reaches -7°C; the ends of the shelter are not covered.
At above-zero temperatures, the soil around the tree trunk and the plant itself are sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate as a preventive measure for fungal diseases.
IN sheltering a climbing rose for the winter Be sure to lay out preparations to repel rats and mice. The temperature in a good shelter does not drop below -10°C; rodents are attracted to such a climate. They dig tunnels, damaging the roots.
The base of the stem is covered with compost, sand, peat or soil. The height of the mulch layer depends on expected winter temperatures. The colder the winter, the higher the layer of mulch, maybe from 30-50 cm.
In winter, during thaws, you can slightly lift the covering material to allow fresh air to enter. There will be no harm, the roses are securely covered with spruce branches. The benefits are obvious. Saturated with oxygen, winter air will improve the internal environment.
With the first signs of spring warmth, the shelter is removed from the plants, but the spruce branches or foliage are left.
Watch a video about preparing for winter:
Planting climbing roses in autumn
How plants will endure winter largely depends on their growing conditions. Flowers require a lot of light, but direct sunlight at midday can cause burns. The area of the garden where there are drafts or northern air currents is also not suitable for planting.
The climbing rose feels good under the protection of the southern part of the walls of buildings and structures, provided that at least half a meter of free space remains before them. Soils chosen for planting are well-drained; if there is stagnation of water, then for climbing roses you will need to create a flower bed on an elevation or on a slope. It is also necessary to take into account how groundwater flows. The roots of the plant go 1.5-2 m deep.
Loamy soils are best suited for climbing roses. If the soils are sandy, then clay is added to them during planting, and if they are heavy clayey, then they should be lightened by adding sand. Humus, compost, and bone meal are added to the planting hole. Mineral dressing will nourish the plant over the next 2-3 years.
For climbing roses, the best time to plant is late September-early October. Features of planting and care depend on which seedling is purchased. There are self-rooted seedlings that are grown from rose cuttings or propagated through layering.
And there are seedlings that are obtained by grafting onto rosehip roots. In fact, two plants have grown together in a seedling, roots from a rose hip and a cutting of a rose. The peculiarity of planting such seedlings is that it is necessary to deepen the grafting site so that the rose cutting can independently form roots. Gradually, the rosehip roots will die off.
If the root system of the seedling is open, then it is soaked for a day in water, then the leaves are removed, damaged shoots are removed, existing healthy shoots are shortened to 30 cm, the buds that are located below the grafting site are removed so that rosehip shoots do not grow from them.
For planting, prepare a hole measuring 50x50 cm, fill it with compost mixed with soil, water it well, the soil will settle, and plant the next day.The roots of the seedling are shortened, straightened and placed in a planting hole on a mound of soil. Cover with prepared soil and squeeze it well so that no voids form. You can water it with a heteroauxin solution for better rooting.
After watering, the soil may settle, then soil should be added to the tree trunk circle. Further care of young roses in the fall comes down to watering, only in the case of a dry autumn. Before the onset of frost, plants are hilled to a height of no more than 20 cm. They are covered with dry leaves or covered with spruce branches. A frame is installed on top, over which the covering material is pulled.
At first, roses grafted onto rose hips need to remove shoots. The roots of the rootstock will develop and sprout shoots until the scion has formed an independent root system. So, it will continue for 1-2 years, after a while the rose cuttings will begin to produce shoots.
When planting climbing roses, you should definitely take care of future support for the plants. The types of supports are varied and amazing. It could be a column, an arch, a dry tree trunk.
Climbing roses are especially good for decorating gazebos and house walls. The rose is planted at a distance of 0.5-1 m from the wall of the house. A lattice or guides are attached to the wall to which the flower will be attached. It is better to use plastic clamps for fastening. If you plan to use a free-standing support, then it should be installed at a distance of up to half a meter from the bush.
Conclusion
Growing and caring for climbing roses is very exciting. And the result is worth it. Beautiful flowers will decorate any corner of the garden or recreation area.You just need to pay more attention to the climbing plant in preparation for winter.
