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

Clematis deadheading

steven_maloneuMpzJm-zsteven_maloneuMpzJm-z Posts: 11
in Plants
I have my first Clematis and was wondering how long to leave the flowers on before deadheading to encourage new blooms,they seem to las a long time but the colour fades from original vibrant to pastel...is that when I should deadhead? The large bloom in the middle is around  2 weeks old

Posts

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I don't deadhead Clematis,  as I like the seedheads too.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Same here .., the seedheads are part of the beauty for me, as are the varied shades of the fading blooms… gorgeous. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I have been know to dead head group 2 clematis and feed them as this encourages them to produce a 2nd flush of flowers in late summer/early autumn.

    I don't dead head any others as the seed heads are very attractive.  As cleatis mature over the years they will, if well looked after, produce more and more stems each year and more and more floriferous but they will still flower at their allotted time.  Some naturally have longer flowering periods than others.  Some naturally fade in colour, especially when planted in full sun when partial shade would be better for them.
    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
    I often take faded petals off, but leave the seedhead, but it also depends on the type as @Obelixx describes. If you do it as the seedhead is forming, it's quite easy, but it depends on where the plant is growing and how easy it is to reach them etc. I mainly have dark flowering ones and they can look really tatty as the flowers fade.
    I passed a house earlier which has a lovely Group2 white one next to their front door that I always admire when it's flowering. The flowers are all finished now and it looks dreadful because the petals are brown and hanging in droopy veils. I'd definitely take those off!

    Some of mine grow on a screen, so they can look ok on one side, and rubbish on the sunnier side, so I pick those off when I pass. It comes down to personal preference as much as anything else  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I have a couple that bloom twice if they’re dead headed and cut back a bit. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

Sign In or Register to comment.