Spain is a country bathed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean; The Mediterranean, we could say that it is the 'son' of this ocean, since it exists thanks to the Strait of Gibraltar, which is where the Atlantic reaches the Balearic archipelago, North Africa, and further east, Italy, Greece, etc. In addition to that, on the surface of the land, we find mountains, some very high such as Monte Perdido (3355m, Pyrenees), or Teide (3718m, Canary Islands), but also flat areas, such as the Central Plateau of the peninsula or the coast.
As if that were not enough, the climate is not the same in all places. Even in the same province, there may be snowfall every winter in the north, but not a single one in the south. That's why it is at least interesting to wonder when rose bushes are pruned in Spain, since the answer may surprise you.
In general, when are rose bushes pruned?
Before answering that, you should know that two types of pruning are performed on the rose bush: rejuvenation, and flower cutting. Well, the first is to prune branches that are already developed, and the other is simply to remove the flowers when they wither. That being said, in general, what we recommend and what is also what is advised in gardening booksit's carry out the rejuvenation pruning in winter, and the other when the flowers are reaching the end of their life.
But this is, as I say, the general rule. Should this rule be followed in Spain or does it change something? In what month are rose bushes pruned and for what purpose is said pruning carried out?
And in Spain?
As I said at the beginning of the article, this is a country where there are many different climates and micro-climates. This is very positive, because it allows us to enjoy a great variety of different plants without leaving the territory; but When it comes to cultivating, some of us will have to adjust the pruning, fertilizing and other calendar to the weather conditions of the area..
That is why if you live in the Basque Country, for example, you should not prune them at the same time as another person who lives in Seville, why? Because winter in the north tends to be a bit longer and colder than in the south. Therefore, You should be aware of when the season actually ends in the place where you live.
If, for example, temperatures start to rise in February, although spring is still officially a month away, and if you know that frosts will no longer occur, then that will be a good time to prune the rose bushes. But If, on the other hand, it is March and you know that in April the thermometer will drop below 0 degrees, then it will be preferable to wait for it to pass.
What can happen if the rose bushes are pruned in the middle of the frost and/or snowfall season?
When pruning, a wound is always made to the plant. A part remains exposed to environmental factors, and also a very vulnerable and very sensitive part. Thus, If after pruning the temperature drops too much, that branch will be cold because it has been left unprotected.
In very serious cases, for example, if a very young rose bush has been pruned and/or if the snowfall is significant, other branches could suffer the consequences of the cold even if we have not touched them.
Y, How do you know that a rose bush is getting cold? Well, the symptoms will be seen perhaps not the same day that the drop in temperatures occurs, but the next day. The most striking thing will be the color change that will occur in the upper part of the branch, in the area where the cut was made. This color change can be from green to yellow, from green to brown, or from green to black, which would be the most serious case. Let's see why:
- If it turns yellow (or some similar shade), it means there has been damage, but the plant hasn't suffered too much.
- If you switch to brown, the damage is more moderate.
- And if it changes to black, it is because that part of the branch has not been able to resist the cold and has died.
Of course, we are interested in keeping it green, but… What do we do if it has changed color due to low temperatures? Well, even if it is a bit strange, we will not prune that area that has been affected, since if we did, we would aggravate the problem. What we will do is protect the rose bush with an anti-frost cloth, as if it were a gift. This fabric allows water to pass through, but not the wind, so the plant is very protected. you can buy it here.
As you can see, the pruning of the rose bush in Spain does not have to be carried out in the middle of winter, as they say. Depending on the temperatures recorded in the area, it will have to be done at one time or another.