Why do roses need to be heavily pruned in winter? How to take better care of northern roses in winter

Many people prune roses in winter because they have entered a dormant state. Removing branches at this time will not cause nutrient loss in the plant. Pruning roses in winter can also prevent pests and diseases. If you don't prune roses, they will grow too long and have a lot of messy branches. Not only will it consume nutrients, but it will also affect the ornamental value of the next year's flowering.

Why do roses need heavy pruning in winter?

First, winter pruning can help roses survive the winter better.

Roses have a certain degree of cold resistance and can naturally survive the winter at temperatures around -10 degrees Celsius. However, China is a vast country, and the temperature difference between the north and south in winter is quite large. The temperature in the northeast and northwest can reach -20 degrees Celsius, which roses obviously cannot tolerate. In addition, in the cold winter in the north, roses can easily be dried up and die. Therefore, it is very important to keep warm in winter.

You may ask, what is the relationship between keeping warm and pruning?

Of course it is related. After pruning, the rose branches are watered, and the contact area with the air is reduced, so they are less frozen. This is the same as wearing gloves and hats in winter. In addition, in the extremely cold areas in the north, rose branches cannot be exposed directly to the air, so they need to be buried or covered during the winter. Isn't it easier to cover with fewer branches?

Second, winter pruning makes roses grow more vigorously next year

After the rose sheds its leaves in winter, nutrients will flow back to the root system, and in the spring of the following year, the nutrients in the root system will flow back to the branches, prompting the rose to sprout new branches.

After the nutrients return in winter, heavy pruning will lock the nutrients in the root system. After the nutrients return in the spring of the following year, the rose's nutrients will be concentrated in a few short branches, which will "hold back" strong lateral buds, and these lateral buds will grow more vigorously. This is like a piece of cake. The effect will definitely be different if one person eats it and if 10 people eat it.

Third, winter pruning will make roses bloom more next year

Rose is a plant with a relatively active metabolism. If you observe carefully, you will find that roses bloom more on new branches grown in the same year, and bloom less on old branches.

Winter pruning is a process of alternation between the old and the new. The old branches are eliminated and the growth of new branches is promoted, so that the rose will bloom more next year.

When is the best time to prune roses in winter?

The best time to prune roses in winter is in late December, because roses have entered a dormant state at this time, and pruning will cause less damage to roses. It should be noted that pruning is not recommended for some newly planted seedlings, as excessive pruning will lead to the death of the plant.

How to take care of roses in the north in winter

Generally speaking, roses can withstand temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius in winter, so there is almost no need to consider their cold resistance.

If the rose is potted, it is best to place it in a south-facing, sunny, and sheltered place in winter. This is most conducive to overwintering. In fact, the reason why many roses freeze to death in winter is often caused by the cold wind drying up the branches, so a sunny and sheltered place is the best. Of course, if the pot is too small and the root system of the seedling is too weak, it will also cause various frost damage to the seedlings. Secondly, if it is planted in nutrient soil, such as coconut coir and peat, too much water accumulation in winter will also aggravate the frost damage. Planting in garden soil will be much better.

In general, there is no need to worry about the cold resistance of ground-planted roses. As long as they can get sufficient sunlight in winter and are properly shielded from the cold wind, they will have no problem surviving the winter. Even for small rose seedlings, planting them in the ground in winter is not a problem. Generally, the frozen soil layer is only the surface soil, and the rose roots can still penetrate deeper into the soil.