Our Clematis, 'The President' has been horribly neglected. Not cut back in a couple of years with a few canes tied together for support, but a little bit of feed this year and we've been rewarded with stunning flowers higher up.
Just a shame they're hidden behind the buddleia Peacock !
Embarrassing pic I know the garden is a work in progress! Some careful pruning, a bigger pot, a nice tall obelisk and change of location is greatly needed. It's a Group 2 but I've read here and elsewhere they can be treated as a Group 3 if they've not been pruned for a while and cut back substantially towards the end of winter, so that's the plan at present.
I've not grown clematis before. (Or indeed any flowers really...) Should I be worried about the marks on these leaves? My garden seems plagued with various sorts of fungal infections... (warm, wet weather.) I potted them up about a fortnight ago with slow release fertlizer. Plenty of crocks in the bottom of the pots. Clematis wilt? I feel a bit cursed. I am surprised they don't have powdery mildew, like my sweet peas, marigolds and courgettes... it's probably on the cards.
Hi. Help needed please! I recently bought two clematis (Polish Spirit and Samaritan Jo) and would like to plant them in the same container. I can’t find any advice online about how close together you should plant them and in what size pot. I know 45x45cm is recommended for one, but any tips on planting two together so they intertwine? Thanks!
I also wouldn't plant any clematis permanently in a pot that's less than 60cm deep and wide and wouldn't expect it to share that space. Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants that have thick, fleshy roots that like to go down deep if they can and need good levels of moisture and lots of nutrients to support all the top growth. In a pot that means really good compost to start with and then regular feeding and watering thru the growing season and a generous top dressing of slow release fertiliser every spring.
Some, like the macropetalas can get by on drier soils but generally not the group 3s. You'd need to water every day in hot spells.
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)."
Hi all Pondering a group 3 small clematis for a 4-5ft obelisk. I am an inexperienced gardener who over-googles everything ending up confused! Can I ask the following dumb questions?
1. Do you plant the clematis to the side of the obelisk or in the middle? I can imagine the former makes pruning easier? 2. Obelisks often have quite large gaps between the horizontals - is it a good idea to add extra horizontal (or vertical) wires? 3. Do clematis bind themselves or do you need to tie them in? 4. Do you tie them in near-horizontal on the obelisk like roses, or vertically?
I plant my clematis and then install the obelisk over it. If there are gaps in the structure I add extra wire to bridge them. For maximum flower power, wind or train your clematis as horizontally or diagonally as possible.
Some cling naturally and some don't - eg texensis forms.
Be aware that a happy group 3 clematis will produce more stems each year and will outgrow an obelisk after a few years. I now grow group 3 on trellis or wires so they can be as vigorous as they like but I also keep them in pots for a year or two after purchase so I can keep a close eye on them and let the develop a good strong root system before I expect them to cope with life in the borders.
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)."
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Just a shame they're hidden behind the buddleia Peacock
Embarrassing pic I know
I potted them up about a fortnight ago with slow release fertlizer. Plenty of crocks in the bottom of the pots.
Clematis wilt?
I feel a bit cursed. I am surprised they don't have powdery mildew, like my sweet peas, marigolds and courgettes... it's probably on the cards.
http://clematisontheweb.org/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=579
http://clematisontheweb.org/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=3863
I also wouldn't plant any clematis permanently in a pot that's less than 60cm deep and wide and wouldn't expect it to share that space. Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants that have thick, fleshy roots that like to go down deep if they can and need good levels of moisture and lots of nutrients to support all the top growth. In a pot that means really good compost to start with and then regular feeding and watering thru the growing season and a generous top dressing of slow release fertiliser every spring.
Some, like the macropetalas can get by on drier soils but generally not the group 3s. You'd need to water every day in hot spells.
Pondering a group 3 small clematis for a 4-5ft obelisk. I am an inexperienced gardener who over-googles everything ending up confused! Can I ask the following dumb questions?
1. Do you plant the clematis to the side of the obelisk or in the middle? I can imagine the former makes pruning easier?
2. Obelisks often have quite large gaps between the horizontals - is it a good idea to add extra horizontal (or vertical) wires?
3. Do clematis bind themselves or do you need to tie them in?
4. Do you tie them in near-horizontal on the obelisk like roses, or vertically?
Thanks for your patience!
Some cling naturally and some don't - eg texensis forms.
Be aware that a happy group 3 clematis will produce more stems each year and will outgrow an obelisk after a few years. I now grow group 3 on trellis or wires so they can be as vigorous as they like but I also keep them in pots for a year or two after purchase so I can keep a close eye on them and let the develop a good strong root system before I expect them to cope with life in the borders.
Should I grow this up an old bit of wire fencing, or a trellis, do you think?