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Ning Sullivan, December 12, 2005 I have two rose beds with about 36 roses (Hybrid Tea and David Austin). Last year, I covered bud unions with dirt and with all the snow coverage, they all survived the winter. I live by ocean at Wells(zone 5B?). Here is the problem: this year, I didn't get around to cover the bud unions before the big snow hit us. Now it's covered with 16" snow. What should I do now? My husband Russell thinks I should just shovel more snow on top of the beds but I am worried about that I haven't covered the bud unions yet. Should I get rid of snow and mulch them now or just leave it the way it is now? |
| 12/12/05 My experience is to just put the mulch or soil right on top of the snow. That should keep the snow from melting until Spring. If you use mulch or manure you can just spread that around the garden when spring arrives. I'm told you can even use fresh manure on top of the snow because it will be well "weathered" by the time the ground thaws.
Wendy White |
| 12/12/05 Hi Ning, As long as you have snow on top of the plants they will be ok as snow will keep the ground around 32 F if there is enough of it. The plant can handle this temperature nicely. A problem will occur when the snow disappears, say in a rain storm, and then the plant is subjected to air temperatures that can become very cold. Since it may rain this weekend, you might consider mulching them right after.
Jerry Cinnamon | 12/12/05 Dear Ning Sullivan, That’s a good question. I am in Lisbon Falls, Maine. Zone 5 also “so they say”. I am new to the area. What I have learned with Tea’s is that they may take to the second week in June to see new growth after the winters here. This past spring about June 5, 2005 I was going to dig out Hot Cocoa. It looked dead, very very dead. As I started to dig out the dead bush with a broken heart I noticed a very small nub, which was new growth. I left it alone and it came back to my surprise. It’s become very large this year. I have 50 hedge roses Lavender Simplicity, which are new to me this spring. I have also another 35 of just Hybrid Tea’s. This year my tea’s bloomed and started new growth until I coved them up this year. Which was just last week the day before the storm. I would like to know how you make out with your roses next spring. Please let me know. I have lost over a hundred teas in the past few years up here. But I think I was digging them out to early. Wish you the best!
Kevin Tangney |
