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potted clematis

richmolly20odmXJI85richmolly20odmXJI85 Posts: 4
in Plants
having planted a Zara clematis in a planter  it blooms but then leaves go brown should the stem and leaves be green. I am a new gardener 

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Welcome to the forum.
    Please post a photo as it really helps members to advise you.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes, they should be green but as they're in a planter they are entirely reliant on you for food and water - like a cat/dog/hamster etc - so I have to ask:

    What size planter?
    Which potting compost?
    Have you fed it?
    How often do you water and how much?
    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
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    In addition to @Obelixx's questions, what age/maturity was the clem when you got it @richmolly20odmXJI85 , and when did you get it and plant it?
    In the kind of heat many areas have had recently, even good quality, mature plants can be struggling if they don't have the right care.
    In pots, it's vital that they have that. Moving them into shade can help enormously.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • richmolly20odmXJI85richmolly20odmXJI85 Posts: 4
    Planter is 45cm square w h d.
    Recently changed to multi purpose john innes compost.
    Not fed plant
    Watered most days until water settled on surface.
    Not sure of age as a gift it seemed a young plant as not muchh folliage when received it Feb 2019 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants and the nutrients in any potting compost last for 90 days max so, in a pot, it needs a weekly feed with liquid tomato food from when the flowers first appear and all thru summer.    It will also need a generous dollop of slow release granular or pelleted feed for clematis, roses or tomatoes every spring.

    It also needs consistent watering so I would first put the container up on some feet to lift it off the ground and make sure it can drain properly as they don't like sitting in puddles and then water it 5 litres at a time and slowly so the water seeps all the way down and doesn't just sit near the surface.   If most of the water runs straight thru it indicates your compost is too dry to absorb water and you need to dunk the entire container in a bigger bucket of water until no more air bubbles appear at the top and then let it drain and then keep it well watered.

    The other thing to bear in mind is that sometimes clematis can just be contrary and take a while to settle.  I recently re-potted a young Maxima which had been happily growing in a transition pot and gave it more width and depth for its roots.  It promptly died on me - above ground - going all brown and crispy despite good compost and watering.  I made encouraging noises and watered it regularly along with all the other pots in my nursery corner and it now has healthy new growth romping away.

    As long as your clem's rots haven't been frazzled by heat and drought yours should recover too if you help it along.
    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
  • richmolly20odmXJI85richmolly20odmXJI85 Posts: 4
    that is so helpful I will follow all the pointers  thank you for your expertise  
  • richmolly20odmXJI85richmolly20odmXJI85 Posts: 4
    do you think I need to cut it back to start again 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited August 2020
    I'd take all that other stuff out of the pot too. Some of it is competition for water and nutrients, and some of it will get entwined with new stems and possibly damage them.
    The support isn't big enough either.  Some better, bigger trellis fixed to the wall, or wires and vine eyes. That will mean you can  spread stems out properly and get better coverage. :)
    Alternatively - an attractive obelisk would be big enough for it, but you need to be careful when putting it in. 
    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
    I'd wait a week or two and see if any buds start to grow from higher up as it doesn't look completely crispy to me but I would cut it back next spring and treat it as a group 3 to encourage more stems to grow.

    As it matures it should send up extra stems so do consider giving it a 60cm pot next spring and a wider trellis or you'll end up with a narrow tangle.

    I see you have other plants in there competing for water and nutrients so do be extra generous with both.   
    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
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