Rosefolly

She blooms at the top, typically in a cluster of 3 or 4 flowers. I think she would be a good candidate for pegging, and that's what I'm asking, would she be? My only problem is lack of space. Is there a way to peg canes this long without doubling or tripling her real estate requirement. Which pegging method is best?

If pegging is not a good idea for this rose, then how far back should she be deadheaded. Last year I either snapped the deadheads or cut back about 5 leaf sets. That resulted in very little new growth along the canes. I'm thinking now of cutting her canes back by half, but that sounds extreme. Interestingly, I DID cut Mme Joseph Bonnaire back by half and suddenly she now has new growth popping out all over her short little canes! How should we best encourage new growth and blooms?

Sherry

Thanks!!

Sherry

Sherry

My issue with pegging is that it seems to work great for a year or two, then you have to redo the entire rose. And sometimes it's hard to do. I had a nice new basal on Tradescant that was sticking straight up and I tried to bend it and it broke, so that was disappointing.

I tried pegging an old what-turned-out-to-be-a-bourbon rose a few years ago, on the advice of my FIL. I didn't bury the canes, but I did tie them down to the ground with those little wire thingies that look like shepherds' crooks. It worked, although I also found it to be a pain to keep having to re-do it.

One neat thing happened, however - it rooted a new plant in one place where the cane was touching the dirt. My DH noticed it. I dug it up and planted it in the sun (the original plant is in total shade and only bloomed in the Spring), and low and behold, it was ever blooming!

So, if you do use a method that involves the canes touching the ground, look to see if any of them have rooted - I had been trying to root that old rose for years with no success.

Jackie

It was a laborious project, which I would not attempt today, but it gave me one remarkable spring bloom on Mme. Isaac Pereire, Austin's Othello, Austin's The Pilgrim, and a few others.

Then, however, ALL of the pegged canes died back to their highest point -- or the point where they became horizontal.

There was nothing to be done at that point but to prune them back to healthy tissue -- and the roses in question, in my climate and conditions, resented that with great indignance ... so, MORE dieback.

In the end, I found it was far more satisfying to simply remove the plants, and replace them with cultivars that were willing to bloom all over, without all of that labor.

Personally, I think pegging was invented by people who had staffs of gardeners with time on their hands.

Jeri

1) the bush tends to be a non-"upright" variety, i.e; it produces canes at an angle from the base instead of straight up-ish.

2) the canes are not "stocky" at their base, i.e.; thick or thicker than your thumb.

If both conditions exist, it should be fairly easy to peg the canes. Start out being conservative and peg the canes down to about a foot or more above the groud and see what happens. Try to get the "bowed" part of the cane into as much of an arch as possible. That way, almost every leaf junction will sprout a new cane skywards.

If the cane is flexible enough, peg to the ground with the end of the cane turned upwards. Rest the end on a hard surface so the end won't rot into the ground and risk disease entering the cane from the tip end.

If you feel adventurous, cut the cane midway throgh at the part where it touches the ground. Dust it with growing medium and bury the cut part slightly into the ground. Hopefully, the cut part will sprout roots and you will have a new own-root plant!

Campanula, I will never again look upon that lovely rose without thnking about her legendary meanness.

Sherry

I see something lovely growing up on the left side of your pic. Please post a few more pics of your garden, I would love to see!

Scott

Pretty cool.

Sherry