Protecting standard and weeping roses in winter

What time of year?

It all depends on your region, the current weather conditions and the age of your rose! November, the month when roses are planted, is generally considered a good time to protect standard and weeping roses as well, when frosts begin to set in.

Start by lightly pruning the crowns of the balls on your standard roses, and shortening the long branches of your weeping roses by around 20 centimetres: this will make it easier to cover them with fleece.

There are two main schools of thought when it comes to pruning roses: a single pruning at the end of winter, or pruning in two stages, in November and then again in February-March. For standard and weeping roses, a single pruning at the end of winter is preferable. Pruning recently planted roses too hard can weaken them by exposing them to the cold.

Protection of the graft point

Several measures can in fact be taken to protect a standard or weeping rose properly in winter. The most important is protecting the graft union, a sensitive swelling resulting from the junction between the rootstock and the scion: as it is located at least 80cm above the ground, it is particularly exposed to the cold winds of winter, as well as to frost. This graft union should always be monitored on standard and weeping roses, as it provides an entry point for diseases and possible injuries, and above all… cold!

You must therefore take particular care with these roses to protect this clearly visible scar tissue, located a few centimetres below the cluster of branches, whether they are planted in the ground or in a pot. Wrap the graft union in a warm, insulating sleeve made from various materials that are easy to obtain.

• Make your sleeve using pieces of fabric (cotton, wool, synthetic fabric, hessian, it does not matter) to create a large strip about 10cm wide, long enough to cover the entire graft union and wrap around it several times. Place the sleeve level with the point where the branches start, so that it covers the swelling properly.
• Position it around the graft and start wrapping it, filling it with thick but airy material such as wadding, or plant material such as dry moss, very dry leaves or straw.
• Tie it with string or raffia without compressing it, to hold the sleeve in place.
• Remove this protective sleeve when temperatures start to rise and your standard or weeping roses no longer need to fear morning frosts, around April.
  

Crown protection

During the first few years after planting your standard or weeping rose, or if you are growing it in a pot, you should protect its crown, that is, the ball formed by the branches, by wrapping it in a winter fleece. First, lightly prune the branches of your rose ball or dome to make the task easier.

Non-woven winter fleece is a breathable material that acts specifically against the cold, insulating the rose while allowing light and rain to pass through, thereby preventing it from drying out. A fleece with a density of 30g/m2 is sufficient for standard and weeping roses. You can reuse it for several winters in a row. A jute winter cover, with a loose weave, is also perfect for covering the balls and domes of standard roses, and may even be a little more attractive.
Secure this winter fleece with raffia ties or garden string, enclosing the protective sleeve you installed beforehand. Remove the winter fleece as soon as temperatures rise, without waiting too long. March is generally mild enough in most regions to uncover your rose. Do not hesitate to open the fleece slightly on fine, sunny winter days!

Complete protection with winter fleece (on the left), and protection of the crown alone with jute fabric (on the right)

Earthing up around the base

If you live in a region with a harsh climate, or if you have just planted your standard or weeping rose in the ground, do not hesitate to give it double protection by mounding soil around its base. This involves covering the lower part of the rose stem with several centimetres of soil. It provides significant protection, not by covering the graft union, which is positioned low down as it can be with ‘classic’ roses, but by:

– providing additional support at its base during the first few years, making it a little less vulnerable to strong winds;
– creating a mound of soil that acts as a valuable thermal blanket in mountainous regions, helping to gain 1 or 2 degrees during severe frosts.

There is just one important recommendation: use non-damp garden soil to avoid any risk of rotting.

Remember to remove this small mound of soil during March, as soon as your roses no longer need it.

Protecting your potted roses

The previous recommendations on protecting the graft point and crown also apply to your standard and weeping roses when they are planted in containers or pots. Proceed in the same way as for your standard or weeping roses planted in the ground.

Your potted plant has one definite advantage: it is mobile! This means that if your pot is in an area that is a little too exposed to the wind, particularly the very cold easterly winds in winter, do not hesitate to move it to shelter it from the wind as much as possible: move it closer to the house or under an awning, and insulate the pot from the cold ground by placing it on blocks or on a wooden wheeled stand. A small wooden pallet, although less attractive, is perfectly suitable if, for example, you have two containers to raise.

When planting in a pot, protecting the growing medium is important: a standard or weeping rose has only a limited volume of soil, which acts as a barrier against the cold. It will be difficult to earth up the base in any type of container. Therefore, if your rose has only recently been planted or you live in a region with harsh winters, mulching around the base is beneficial: use straw or thoroughly dry leaves, spreading them all around the stem.

Mulch around the stem with shredded plant material, thoroughly dry leaves or straw