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Is my clematis still alive?!

flowerbomb21flowerbomb21 Posts: 45
in Plants
Hi all,

It is good to be back on this website - almost comforting during these desperate times we find ourselves faced with. So, I am hoping one of you kind people can recognise whether my type 2 clematis is still alive or not. Some advice would be very helpful please!

Many thanks

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Hard to tell - looks very thirsty and dry and limp - but worth having a go at saving it so the first thing to do is dunk that pot in a bucket of water till no more air bubble appear and then plant it in a larger, deeper pot with some fresh compost.  Plant it a few inches deeper than it is now and water it well.

    Keep it moist but not drowning and wait and see.

    Give it a better support and remove those plastic ties so you can spread out the shoots in a more diagonal/horizontal shape which will help with vigour and flowering.  If it does recover, keep it fed and watered and get it in the ground or a suitable larger pot with good rich soil and adequate watering as soon as possible.
    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
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited April 2020
    Bit difficult to tell if I'm honest, but l had a couple that looked like that and they eventually started shooting.  You could try the fingernail gently scraping the shoot test (if it's green underneath it's still alive), and maybe cut back a couple of shoots to do the same.  It does look rather dry. I would cut it back to above a node/leaf joint, give it a drink and hope  :)
    Which variety is it, and are you planning to put it in a pot or the ground? 

  • flowerbomb21flowerbomb21 Posts: 45
    Thanks so much to you both for that excellent advice.  I am putting in a pot which leads me on to ask which I should have done in post sorry - do I need to add anything else to the mpc ie, slow release fertiliser  (drink or balls) and is it viable to add blood fish and bone to the bottom of pot?

    ps. I scraped and its green underneath fingers crossed on that!

    thanks again
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants so definitely soak before you re-plant and, if you can, use some John Innes no 3 typ compost at least half and hal or more with your MPC.

    Make sure its pot is deeper than it is wide if you can or at least 60cm wide and deep.  Plant it a few inches lower n the pot than it was as this encourages new shoot formation for a healthier, more floriferous plants and Feed, Feed, Feed.  Composts only have nutrients that last for max 90 days so add in some pelleted chicken manure or blood, fish and bone or similar and make sure it gets extra feeds of rose or tomato food thru the growing season - March to August or later depending on when it flowers.

    In a pot it is entirely reliant upon your attentions for feeding and watering.  Never let it get thirsty - daily water in hot weather - but don't let it sit in a puddle either or its roots will rot.   Give it a generous dollop of slow release fertiliser every spring, prune it as and when its group dictates and give regular liquid feeds thru spring and summer. 
    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
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I make sure l feed mine with a liquid feed (l use tomato food), every 2 weeks until they start to flower. As Obelixx says, they are greedy feeders !
    If you can get hold of some John Innes type 2 or 3 compost to mix with the MPC , so much the better, but it might be difficult at the moment . If not, just go with what you have, the sooner it's in a bigger pot and getting pampered so much the better.  :)
    This might give you some pointers
    https://youtu.be/x3NRijpVdrw
  • flowerbomb21flowerbomb21 Posts: 45
    I can't thank you both enough for such helpful advice I have taken on board everything you have said and am just about to plant now as it has been soaking for a good half hour. Brilliant responses, thank you so much! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited April 2020
    Definitely do as @AnniD suggetss re cutting back too. That will help promote more shoots from below, and you'll get a stronger, healthier plant for next year.
    Keep it in a little shade too, so that it can recover, regardless of whether it's one that likes a sunny spot or not. Extremes of weather won't help it to thrive, so a bit of protection just now will pay dividends.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Let us know how it gets on and also what clematis it is.  We do love clematis here.
    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
  • mel_elaine_hmel_elaine_h Posts: 5
    How do you store tulip bulbs in a pot after they finish flowering. Can I leave them in the pot?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @mel_elaine_h- this thread is about clematis, so it's always better to start a new thread when it's about a different plant  :)
    However- yes, you can leave them in the pot. It's a good idea to add some general feed as the foliage dies back, just to help the bulb for next year. Before they start back into growth next year, you can replace some of the soil/compost in the pot too.
    Many tulips don't last more than a year or two though, as they need quite specific conditions. The species ones and a few others come back though  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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