You can stake any rose cane at any time. Canes will become thicker and stouter with age. However, with modern bush roses in zone 5, you can expect to lose most or all of the cane length to winter damage. Possibly being close to the ground over winter would allow some protection by snow. The rose will produce thicker new shoots next year as it matures.

Yes, fall roses, are especially big and colorful.

Matt, my SA is a leaner and a flopper also and it is 2 years old. It's better this year but be prepared...this one is a beast, but mine is from Palatine and grafted on multiflora. I can't remember how much of the cane died back over winter, but it doesn't take it long to regain its massive size again in the Spring.

I went to Menards and found some black stakes that you can step on and drive into the ground and then tied up the lazy canes...works real sweet. I use them on all the floppers; they come in different lengths.
-t

I think I've seen those stakes there Terry. Thanks folks.

I used some of those 4' tall black shepherd's hooks for a couple of mine that went wacko. I was too lazy to actually go buy some & I had them in the shed already. Plus, I was able to hang cutesy little things on the hook.

And yes, now that the blooms aren't getting cooked every day, every single rose looks fantastic!! I don't have that many roses [yet] but I do have one rose that never crisped, faded, etc in the sun---Tahitian Sunset. It was perfect all summer long.

---Laura

Ground cover roses grow canes just like that. Absolutely sideways. And usually Stiff so there is now way to get them upward. I know nothing about South Africa but is it possible
that have the wrong rose?

I think for the first three years, roses growth habits are continually evolving. Many roses are weakly floppy in their first full flowering year. Tip the length of the canes to lessen the overall weight and in the second year, the canes will develope more girth. By the third year, as the canes get woody and lignified, secondary thickening will give the canes more rigidity and strength to remain upright. No-one should really get rid of a rose because of its growth habits until some degree of maturity has been reached - obviously, if you have a disease sump or you hate it, then send for the fork and spade but they will take some time to settle into their final habits of growth.
I see this a lot in austins which often have blooms too heavy for their canes, ending up lying drunkenly on the floor....and yep, I have used those hooky things along with a range of impromptu supports for wayward roses.

Yeah, it's definitely South Africa. I didn't know that it was inclined to grow laterally since it's described as upright and my brother's suits that description. I'll just prune and stake for next year.

I do have two Austins (WS2000) and they're a complete mess. The blooms are great when they're not staring at the ground. From hearing other people's reports I was prepared for it, but I'd really be thrilled if they sorted themselves out a bit....so I'm hoping it's an awkward adolescent phase, though I won't be surprised if their habit remains that of a spidery freak.

Own-root roses often go through an awkward adolescence. It often takes people who are only experienced with budded roses by surprise because they avoid it. Give the rose a couple of years, and then see what it does. Don't try to prune it for shape, since that will only remove sources of energy for the plant.

That's a good point about own-root plants being less mature and more prone to flopping.

veryzer, WS2000 has a low-arching habit, but, when mature, it can hold its canes and blooms off the ground. It's actually a nice plant habit, because the canes are fairly uniform in length and height.