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Clematis - no green growth or flowers this year.

doushkajsdoushkajs Posts: 55
in Problem solving
Hi All, i have a big problem with my Clematis and i just know you can help me, 'cos your all so clever. This plant is about 15 years old and has produced flowers and foliage every year since maturity and has been pruned back each year but this year we have what you can see in the photos. You can see that it overgrows the fence and pergola canopy.

The attached "Main Stem" and "Main Stem with Shoots" photo shows where the plant is in the ground and that there appear to be some new shoots on it. The ground is well drained and i believe it to be chalky dressed over with good compost. However, all the runners and branches have no green foliage or flowers this year which can be seen in the photo "Pergola Canopy".

In addition to this when i try to flex or break the growth on the "Pergola" canopy there doesn't seem to be any resistance to them snapping (they are mostly brittle) and the color of the center core is a pale white. I am assuming that there isn't any sap in the branches and this could be a clue to what is going on. My initial thoughts are that this plant is dead or dying and cannot produce any sap for growth.

Your expert advice and help would be most appreciated, thank you.
Any further questions on this please ask.

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Main Stem

Main Stem with Shoots

Pergola Canopy

The green runner in the photo is actually another plant not the one in question.



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Posts

  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    doushkajs said:
    Hi All, i have a big problem with my Clematis and i just know you can help me, 'cos your all so clever. [...]
    There are indeed lots of clever/knowledgeable people on this forum, but we don't do miracles and given the sorry state of your Clematis I doubt that it can be resurrected.
  • doushkajsdoushkajs Posts: 55
    Hi Papi Jo, thanks for your reply. Your thoughts are in line with my own but i was fishing for suggestions in the hope that something might be able to be done. But there you go nothing lasts forever so we will move on and find something else to replace it like a Virginia Creeper perhaps, what do you think?. It would be nice to know why the plant failed so quickly though.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It's given 15 years of service, so l would cut it right back to about 1 foot from the ground and see if it reshoots. It depends if you want to try and keep it. Do you know which variety it is ?
  • doushkajsdoushkajs Posts: 55
    Hi AnniD, i think it was/is a Montana not sure though. Regarding keeping it i really don't think it is going to be realistic as i will have to wait years for the new growth, if it happens, to cover the pergola, shame though as it has been a lovely shady area when it has been hot. I could do as you suggest and plant a new one just to see what happens and also to grow a new one.....
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I thought it might be Montana, l did that with mine as it was getting out of control. Within 2 years it was back covering the wall again, so you might be surprised by how quickly it comes back. I would say though that it was flowering as normal, not all dead stems. It might be worth a try.
  • doushkajsdoushkajs Posts: 55
    That's worth knowing AnniD. As there appears to be some healthy growth near the main stem it might be that the plant has already started to regrow. Worth the effort......
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Hi there... Mum has one that is old and gnarled like yours, @doushkajs , but it is in flower. We've been toying with the idea of cutting it right back. @AnniD when would you suggest we do that? My guess would be immediately after it's completely finished flowering, so in a fortnight or so's time...? 
    Lincolnshire
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It probably just got too stressed in the drought period last year so I would first of all pour several buckets of water around its feet, allowing each one to sink in, or else leave the end of the hose pipe in there for an hour or so with a steady dribble of water.

    Then, i'm afraid, you're going to have to cut down all that dead tangle and pull it away being careful not to shred the few leaves there are and not to cut below the green bits.  Then give it a tonic of liquid tomato feed and cross your fingers.

    If it survives all that and wants to grow again, give it a slow release feed of rose, tomato or specialist clematis feed and keep it watered in dry spells.  Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants so need help in hot, dry spells.  With any luck it will recover and you'll get some flowers next year and then it's a case of feeding every spring and building it up again.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • doushkajsdoushkajs Posts: 55
    Thanks Obelixx, your suggestion seems to fall in line with previous posts so i think i will just have to bite the bullet and get it done. Just to be clear i have attached a photo with red colored markers to show where i think i should cut back to would you say that is about right....


  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    @Janie B, l cut mine back after it had finished flowering, and like Obelixx gave it a feed with tomato food. I just left it to do it's thing, and off it went. So yes, in around a fortnight or so. You won't get so many flowers next Spring but after that it should be business as usual. 
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