Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Clematis triternata rubromarginata problem

dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
edited June 2020 in Problem solving
It couldn’t last...
My clem was planted in the ground, south facing, good drainage, last year. Planted deep. Feet in the shade.
It put in a spectacular amount of growth this year and has reached 7ft with two main sweeping stems. It is covered in buds and a few flowers have opened too.
All good so far, but the past week I’ve noticed that particularly along the left main stem, about 3/4 of the previously lush green leaves, have yellowed. Above ground level, they are brown and have fallen off. The right main stem is less affected.
Sorry, my camera isn’t playing ball tonight, or I’d have uploaded a picture, but I’m worried this could be the dreaded clematis wilt.
However, this mainly affects larger flowered varieties, doesn’t it?
What should I do?
Could it be the past week of on/off rain?
«1

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    More likely to be a problem with the two previous months being so dry.   Clematis don't like to be thirsty.  If you haven't had a month's worth of rain in the last week or so try giving it a big bucket of water, poured slowly so it soaks in and gets down to the roots.  Repeat weekly and see if it recovers.  Be patient.
    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
  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Patient, me?
    😁
    Ok I’ll try.
    but I have been watering it well, during the dry patch (or so I thought).
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Have you also checked to see if there's any damage lower down? Slugs/snails often cause that if it's just a single stem or two. 
    Otherwise, I'd agree with @Obelixx - many clems will have been suffering from lack of water at critical times this year. If I ever need to water any of mine [not very often!] it's a large canful at a time, or even a bucket, depending on the site. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Thanks. I have given it loads last night and will again frequently, this week, as it’s meant to be a hot one. I suppose that even when we did have rain, it wasn’t always heavy, so much of it wouldn’t have even penetrated the soil lower down near the clem. I haven’t checked for slugs and snails, but it’s odd that only the leaves are yellowed. The flowers are all open and it’s covered in buds, even on those yellow sections. I’ll have another look, thank you,
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Once you are sure that it has had some water deep down, try feeding it as it may also be hungry but thirst is the immediate problem to address.
    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
  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Will do.
  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Update: entire 3m stems x2 have totally died 😔
    Went yellow from the base, that gradually crept its way up to the top.
    Such a shame, as it was literally covered in about 60 odd buds, some already open. 
    It was glorious, I’m gutted...
    I watered it loads, when it was still just yellowish, with lots of green at the ends, I also gave it a good feed as suggested and checked for obvious disease (none I could see).
    But when I cut the whole plant back tonight, and noticed some new green shoots at the base!
    The main, dead stems were totally brown and dry, but they were not chewed through and didn’t seem damaged by slugs or snails.
    Almost look like the whole plant had been scorched.

    What on earth could have gone wrong...?

  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    Now I’m wondering...could I have possibly overwatered it?!
    Ground is very free draining, as it was a newly created bed, last year, that I dug loads of organic matter and grit into. I have two salvia Amistad, a small ceanothus and a verbena bon nearby, all very happy.
  • mikeymustardmikeymustard Posts: 495
    Very unlikely that you managed to overwater it in a free-draining soil in this weather! We're on proper potting clay [two colours] and there's not a drop of moisture below a few inches and we've watered nearly every day. The OH believed a rain forecast and didnt water the patio one night: everything started keeling over by the next afto!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited June 2020
    I think you need to add a lot of organic matter to the area. If the soil is that free draining, water is the issue - not enough of it being held onto, to support the top growth. 
    The other planting is competition, and they all like free draining soil. It might be that it's not the best location for that particular clematis. If it had that amount of buds, there was a lot of plant to support, and lack of water is the most likely reason for it not thriving. If it's against a wall - that would also be dry.
    If there are new shoots appearing, I'd just make sure you keep adding compost to the area - decent stuff, not multi purpose. Don't let it go short of water. It may need watering by the bucket every day just now - unless you lived here!  :D

    Just because they like drier conditions, it doesn't mean they can survive without water until established  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.