Although roses have been cultivated in our latitudes for many hundreds of years, they are usually not completely frost hardy. In particular, the base of the shoots and - in the case of grafted varieties - the grafting point should not only be protected from cold temperatures, but also from the winter sun. For this reason, you should cover your roses in winter, for which mainly natural materials can be used.
Roses are protected from frost with a fleece or twigs
Protect roses from frost and winter sun
The roses are not only threatened by the sub-zero temperatures, but above all by the winter sun on milder days. This can stimulate the sap flow of the plant, which can be very dangerous after another cold snap. Good winter protection begins with the planting, because grafted roses should be planted in such a way that the grafting point is buried at least five centimeters deep and thus covered with plenty of warming soil. Finally, in autumn, pile up the shoot base above ground at least 20 centimeters high with soil or compost and finally cover everything with fir or spruce brushwood.
Cover roses with fir or spruce branches
Fir branches in particular are very suitable for covering the roses, as the branches retain their needles much longer than the often recommended spruce branches. If you have a choice, always use the more durable fir twigs whenever possible. The coniferous branches effectively keep out wind and cold and also ensure that the winter protection looks a little better than bare mounds of earth. You can remove the coniferous branches in early spring, but the mounds of earth are only removed after they have sprouted.
Pack standard roses correctly
Since the sensitive grafting point on standard roses cannot be buried in the ground, these plants should be packed particularly carefully. Use burlap or fleece to wrap the crown with it. Before that, however, put fir or spruce branches between the branches, because they provide additional protection. Young standard roses that are still flexible can often be bent down to the ground so that you can completely cover the crown with soil. However, this traditional method only works with young trees, with older trees the risk of splitting and breaking is too high.
tips
Never use foil or similar plastics to wrap and cover the roses, as these are not breathable. Moisture accumulates underneath, which in turn promotes the development of fungal diseases.