What is the definition of bending in rose production?

• A. Cutting the plant at the base
• B. The process of taking a growing shoot and bending it over so that its growing bud is below the leaves of the stem
• C. Removing thorns
• D. Root pruning

Answer: (B)

Bending is a training technique used in rose production to shape how a shoot grows by repositioning the active bud. By taking a growing shoot and bending it over so that its growing bud ends up below the leaves on the stem, you alter the hormonal cues and light exposure that control growth. This shift releases latent buds along the shoot, promoting lateral growth and a more branched, balanced plant structure with more flowering wood.

This isn’t the same as cutting at the base, removing thorns, or pruning roots, which are different cultural practices with other goals. The act of bending specifically reorients the shoot to encourage additional shoots from below the bend, improving canopy form and future flowering potential.