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Clematis
Gordondude
Posts: 2
in Plants
I have a small lawn with a border south facing against the garage wall.
It supports thriving plants and shrubs but when I add climbers such as clematis and jasmine they initially thrive but soon start deteriorating and eventually die whilst other plants survive well.
The soil is free draining for the upper 600mm or so with heavy clay beneath.
watering is not a problem and feed is carried out as required.
What is the main cause of loosing the climbers?
0
Posts
How far away from the wall do you plant them? Could you be planting them too close? The wall could be sucking up some moisture as well as casting a rain shadow. Clematis likes to have it's roots in the shade, it might also need some rotted cow manure in there.
Clematis are very hungry and thirsty plants. They like to have their roots in the shade, and their heads in the sunshine. Plant a couple of feet away from the wall, into d DEEP hole, fill with much organic material, use a mycorrhizal powered of gel on the roots, lots of water, mulch thickly with organic material, water and feed with clematis feed regularly. Much also depends upon which kind of clematis you plant, some such as clematis montana can cover several meters of area in both directions, and be a couple of meters thick as well. Some, little alpinas for example, are not as vigorous but look lovely climbing through other shrubs, or even other clematis. The combination of roses and clematis is well known because it is extremely attractive and affective. Jasmines need a lot of light, and a fair bit of warmth as well - if there are big shrubs growing in front of them, they will just give up and die (I've done this more than once!).
Maybe I'll move one farther from the wall with a replanting as described and move the second one to the adjacent wall and put plenty of mulch after dusting as suggested.
many thanks
They need to be planted deep and with some good compost and watered for at least a couple months or more and feed when in flower but they like their feet in the shade and heads in the sun.
Which clematis have you lost ? The easiest and most reliable are the Group 3's.
Try a viticella or one of the taller herbaceous varieties.