Rosa Magna Carta here flowering after being pegged down
Pegging down roses is a method used with some bush roses that produce large canes during the summer. These large tall canes can be pruned down in height to the same height of the bush but a far better way is to peg these long shoots down. This arched stem then produces a lot more flowers on the stem compared to just straight pruning. This happens of any rose stem that it is arched as it encourages the buds on top to break.
Not all roses that produce these large and tall canes in one growing season that come from the base of the rose, can be pegged down. Roses like Bourbons, Hybrid perpetuals, some moss roses like William Lobb, some of the English roses can work well as well. The only way to find out if your rose would be suitable for pegging down, is to grab the end and try it! Just grab the growing tip and slowly try and arch it over. If it snaps at the base or spilts, then the Rose isn’t suitable for pegging down! If it does then all well and good
The next stage is to get the materials and equipment ready to start. I use bamboo canes (called sticks from now on to avoid confusion!) cut down to roughly 300mm but hazel will work as well. If you are in a stony site then a hammer may also be useful. Next is some 3ply green twine, I use Nutscene and lastly of course you need a pair of secateurs.
Next I prepare the stick by wrapping the string on top of its self and tie it off with an over hand knot, leaving the tag at least 100mm long
Next I tie the stick to the rose cane using an over hand knot.Then I pull the Rose cane over gently until I get the arch the right size and then push the stick into the ground and cut the string so it is tidy
And the job is done! Other canes can be tied over and around as well, there’s no limit on how many you can peg down, just depends on the canes you have available.
You will get at least one years flowering like this, if you are lucky maybe 2, this one in my back garden, I redo each year.
There we have it, a nice and simple job to do and one that really does give a great effect if you add underplanting in between the canes as well.
I am so relieved to read this post! I pegged down ‘Charles de Mills’ for the first time with tent pegs. It had too uptight gowth last year, with all the flowers at the same level. They resemble weird spiders at the moment, and I didn’t dare share the pics with my rose Facebook friends in case they were horrified. I love a garden experiment, and this post reassured me that I haven’t just had a mad moment.
Absolutely fascinating. I had some long canes on r.wisley last year, all pruned back now. Can it be done at any time?
Although I do not mind the maintenance of roses, and I really enjoy the winter pruning, this is too intensive. I would rather just grow more plants and prune them as I normally do. I have hear of pegging, but have not seen it in a few years. I saw it in Oregon, done by someone who really grows impressive flowers. The landscape roses (that are not grown for cut flowers), are left with long arching canes. I do not like that either, but it works.