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 Aramdii not thriving!

Charlotte750Charlotte750 Posts: 5
in Problem solving
I planted 2 clematis Aramndii about 18 mths ago.  One in particular is looking quite sad - the leaves are yellowing and the tips are going brown and dry.  It has been watered reasonably well - I think? I would be grateful for suggestions plse!
Thanks

«1

Posts

  • Charlotte750Charlotte750 Posts: 5
    * Armandii!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    How much is "pretty well" and is it exposed to wind and frost?
    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
  • Charlotte750Charlotte750 Posts: 5
    Thanks for replying...
    They're on an automatic watering thing now - but weren't through the winter - could that be the problem?  The location is in central London, in a big wooden rectangular planter on a terrace that is fairly sheltered so I dont think frost.  Annoying not to be able to post a picture!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    You can if you use the postcard icon above the reply box and format the photo to be less than 2mb or it won't load.

    It is much better to give plants like this a weekly drench of 10 to 15 litres than a daily dribble or their roots stay up near the surface and are subject to frost and heat, neither of which will suit a clematis.  This one doesn't like cold winds and is not hardy below -10C so maybe it's just caught cold or is thirsty.  Wind exposure can be very drying, even with evergreen foliage.
    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
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    C armandii are a little less hardy than other C's  but once established, they should take off happily enough to require being pruned.
    They benefit from a good root run so perhaps a planter on top of a terrace is restricting ?
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Yes, that too.  How deep and wide are their planters?
    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
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Our armandii did take some years to get feet in the ground. It isn't in a planter as I feel that they do need the space to develop.
    This year the flowers have been outstanding.
    We find it to be very hardy but then not in a planter.
    We are able to prune back when we feel that it is geeting out of hand now.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Clematis Armandii can be a bit of a monster and is comparable to a Montana, i.e.  not really suited to any container.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568
    edited April 2021
    Lizzie, the reason why it is not very good in a container is not so much its size but its hardiness. It is a native of SW China and mountainous areas of SE Asia. It will survive quite a hard frost, but these areas are very dry in winter and the frost tends to be fleeting. I had one for two years planted against a SW wall in Lincs, which is not at all the standard for Clematis I know, then we had a cold, wet winter & it just went phut. Also Clematis must be kept constantly moist, which is harder in summer in a pot. Grow it in the ground by all means means, but it is one of those touch-and-go plants. Not recommended for Northern Britain. Like your posts.
    Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.
  • Charlotte750Charlotte750 Posts: 5
    Thanks for replies - and the tip on photos which I have now attached below!   The planter is about 2m long and about 50cm high. We only have concrete (above a car park!) so planting in the ground not an option! The temperature on the terrace rarely gets below 0 tbh so seems unlikely it would be cold enough to do real damage...    I should also mention that the new growth (on the right of 2nd pic) seems fine.
    I guess my question is... is this redeemable or are we on a long slow death march?!  We are very overlooked (As you can see!!!) and the clematis was an attempt to provide some much needed screening to give a v little outdoor privacy!

    Thanks so much for any advice!!




Sign In or Register to comment.