Clematis Annabel

Valley Gardener · July 2018

My Annabel has flowered and now the leaves have gone crispy and died.Does anyone know if this will have a second flowering? The Daniel Deronda has come back after its first flush,also Josephine died off about three weeks ago,will she flower again?

Obelixx · July 2018

Are you watering them? Very thirsty plants so they need help in hot, dry spells.

Cut back all stems that are completely brown and dry and then give each plant at least 10 litres of water at least twice, preferably 3 times a week till new growth appears. A handful of slow release fertiliser and a drink of tomato food will also help recovery.

All of these are group 2s which means they flower early summer on old wood and then, maybe, again on new wood in late summer. The first flush is larger and sometimes double. The second flush is usually smaller and simple. It helps to give a light prune after the first flush and do some dead-heading so energy goes to flowers rather than seeds.

I find it's easier to treat them as a group 3 and take them down low in spring and give them a generous feed. They then just have one long flush of flowers over about 3 months instead of 2 short bursts.

Valley Gardener · July 2018

Thank you Obelixx, yes I've been very diligent with my watering,as the two latter ones were expensive!! Annabel came from Lidls for 1.99 ! I will give them a feed as you've suggested,I'd love them all to flower again.
My Jackmanii flowers all summer without a break.

BobTheGardener · July 2018

Neither 'Annabel' or 'Josephine' should be dying off at this time of the year. They are both early flowerers (pruning group 2) and should retain most of their leaves until winter. If you remove the first flush of flowers after they go over, you're more likely to get a 2nd flush. Could they have dried-out in the hot weather? Tell us a little more about where they are planted (pots, gound?) and some photos would be really useful. Slugs and snails sometimes damage the stems close to ground, resulting in the whole stem dying so inspect there for damage.

Janie B · July 2018

@Obelixx: I find it's easier to treat them as a group 3 and take them down low in spring and give them a generous feed. They then just have one long flush of flowers over about 3 months instead of 2 short bursts.

Can you do this with any clematis in Group 2? What about those in Group 1?

Valley Gardener · July 2018

I can't do photos,but they are all in the ground,with shaded roots.Annabel is in the top of a wall,although planted deeply she could be suffering from the heat.But Josephine did a magnificent flower,then her stems started to dry and break off. Maybe both are down to being too hot for weeks on end.The garden doesn't get shade till late afternoon. East/South facing.

Obelixx · July 2018

Yes to Group 2s. All mine in my last garden would be frozen to bits above ground most winters so no old growth for new flowers so I'd just cut them back like group 3s.

Group 1s only get pruned to tidy them up or keep them in bounds so no, you can't do the brutal cut but, as they mature and make more and more stems you can cut out one or two of the oldest each autumn and, after leaving them to wilt completely, carefully pull them out before spring growth starts. For the winter flowering kinds like cirrhosas, do the cutting once flowering finishes so you don't disturb the flower buds and stems.

Janie B · July 2018

Thanks for that, @Obelixx, very useful. Jx

Valley Gardener · July 2018

All fed and watered,plus some others that may have suffered in the drought! A very pleasant afternoon for gardening.

Valley Gardener · August 2018

I'm pleased to report that Annabel,has really perked up and has managed to produce a lot of buds,it looks like she will flower before the frosts!

Obelixx · August 2018

Good. Well done.

Clematis Annabel

Posts