What to do if the rose plant withers in winter
The editor will answer questions about roses and other rose plants. How to deal with the withering of roses in winter, let's follow the editor to see the specific content!
Withering refers to the phenomena such as drying and wilting of some branches after the tree enters winter. Roses are perennial flowers and generally will not freeze to death in winter. However, in the north, if no special management is applied, the above-ground part of the rose plant is prone to withering, which means the branches dry up and die from top to bottom. Especially young rose plants, whose branches are tender and have a high evaporation rate of surface water, without effective management, often die after winter. Although the roots do not die, new buds can grow from the lower part of the base in the following spring, but the growth rate will be affected.
Firstly, let's analyze the causes of withering in roses:
In northern China, the temperature often drops below minus ten degrees Celsius in winter, causing the soil to freeze, making it difficult for the roots to absorb water. Especially for young roses, whose roots are mainly distributed in the frozen soil layer, they can barely absorb water. However, the above-ground part is still continuously evaporating water. Especially in early spring, when the daytime temperature is above 0°C and the wind is strong, the branches' water evaporates at a high rate, but they cannot get补充 from the roots, leading to an imbalance of water intake and loss. Therefore, the above-ground branches dry up and die from top to bottom. Thus, the withering of roses in winter is a physiological drought phenomenon, not caused by low temperature freezing, but by dehydration.
Next, I will introduce several methods to prevent the withering of roses in winter:
One, earth mounding
1-2-year-old small rose seedlings are suitable for this method. That is, before the soil starts to freeze, cover the roses with moist soil. Before covering, do some pruning, retaining a few main branches. Then, start with a small soil ball at the root, bend the above-ground branches down, taking care not to break them. Finally, two people work together, one person bends the branches, and the other person presses down the branches with moist soil, and then cover with a larger soil mound. Earth mounding can ensure the safe overwintering of both the underground and above-ground parts, and in the following spring, remove the soil mound. At this time, the branches in the soil have started to sprout, and immediate watering is needed, so that the above-ground part can grow and bloom earlier.
Two, building a greenhouse
For larger roses, it is difficult to cover with soil, so you can use several branches or bamboo poles that can be bent into an arch, insert both ends into the soil, and cover the top with a plastic film. The plastic film can block the wind, prevent freezing, and maintain the climate inside the greenhouse, preventing withering in winter.
Three, maintaining soil moisture and increasing temperature
There are two reasons for withering in winter: one is the evaporation of moisture from the above-ground part, and the other is the difficulty of water absorption by the roots due to frozen soil. If, before covering with plastic film, you water the soil first, and then cover a piece of plastic film, it can reduce the evaporation of soil moisture around the roots, maintain soil moisture, and increase soil temperature. This way, the soil will thaw earlier in early spring, allowing the roots to absorb water earlier, thus preventing the withering of the above-ground branches.
Above are several methods to prevent the withering of roses in winter. Which method to choose depends on the situation. Moreover, using plastic film coverage, there is no need to remove it after winter, which can reduce the evaporation of soil moisture in spring, prevent spring drought, save water, inhibit weeds, increase soil temperature, promote root activity, and make rose buds sprout and bloom earlier.
The detailed introduction on how to deal with the withering of roses in winter is as described above. Do you understand now?