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advice please

Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436
in Plants
Hi all, could you please give me some advice on clematis, I have had them before but they last a year or two and that's it. The other week I bought three clematis, Mrs n Thompson, miss Bateman and multi blue. I have Thompson and Bateman in large pots, I'm not sure if multi blue would be ok in a pot. Could anyone give me any advice for these three clematis, I have looked them up on the net but some site's say different from what on the label. When do I prune these, how much do I prune, sorry for stupid questions but I don't want to lose these one. Thanks so much for any help.
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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    Don't get too hung up on pruning with these varieties. I've grown them all in the past in vairous gardens. There are different pruning regimes but basically follow what it says on the label 

    Clematis are fine in pots if they're big pots , clematis have big root systems. Give them the best compost you can get and remember to feed them regularly and never , ever let them dry out.

    Devon.
  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    Hello , personally if you can I would plant them in the ground 

    best of luck image

  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436
    Thanks hostafan1, I was told to get john innes no. 2, so thats what I got. The label say can be on a northerly wall, but can I plant one facing east. I'm in Ireland so not much chance them drying out.image
  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436
    Gwrs, I've planted clematis in the ground before but they haven't lasted very long, last year i planted two not sure which one's they were, I dug them up this week, as they haven't grown any more and were in a sorry state.
  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436
    Thanks patsy, I read on the net you should only plant them two to three inches below soil level, is this deep enough, thanks for the info, I need all the help I can get.
  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    Lorna95 , you mentioned digging them up , I just remembered a friend had a problem with planted clematis dying and what we found the secound time , the roots where still in a tight ball in the ground , so third time he teased them out and it grewimage

    best of luck , they are great plants if you get them growing got a fablous one on the Allottment cover a water cube , must put a picture on site image

  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    GWRS, thanks for that info, i will remember that for when i plant the next one.

     

    Patsy F, I have two in the pot but i still haven't planted the multi blue one yet, we have been putting up a new arch today, i really would like to put the clematis up the arch, but this would be east facing, do you think this would be ok, you say about planting deep enough, when i got the plant it say to plant 2 to 3 inches below soil level, do you think this is deep enough.

  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    hi lorna, i have also bought miss bateman & multi blue i bought mine in asda and they both only had two stems i cut them back to about 5 inches to encourage more stems to grow up and i used the bits i cut off to make cuttings, i just dipped them in rooting gel and planted them in a pot big enugh for 7 cuttings around the edge i left only one leaf on each cutting and put them in a pot with a plastic bag over them, if they root it's a bonus. already new shoots are coming up on the parent plant which will make for a bushier plant in the end, i didn't like doing it but in the long run it's for the best.

    i dug up one that i planted last year and found it still had the paper wrap around the roots so i took it off and replanted it deeper than it was. it's probably 2/3 inches below 'pot level' and it looks like it is fine, because i cut that one down too for the same reason as the others i cover it at night with a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off to stop the slugs and snails getting it before it has a chance to get going, the miss bateman is planted in soil on south facing wall & multi blue is still in the plastic greenhouse/cold frame 

  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    Sanjy67, thank you so much for the info, I didn't cut mine down when i planted them as they all had buds on them, Do you think i should cut them down now?, they are flowering at the moment.  I'm not sure what to do for the best, i want to give it the best possible chance of surviving. The clematis are about 2 and half foot tall from the pot, would it be ok to cut the plant this time of year. Thank you for your help, you have given me some great info.

  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    if it has loads of stems i wouldn't bother cutting it down, if it's flowering i would at least wait now until it's finished (which one is flowering?) if it is really spindly with only one or two main stems you could cut it back if you can bear to to produce more shoots from the bottom but atm it is putting all it's energy into producing flowers so i guess it is one or the other, one of mine that i cut down a couple of weeks ago had flower buds on it (don't know the name as i thought i'd remember it but can't hahaha) anyway that had grown about 2ft just this year and i cut it down and has a flower bud on the new growth.

    i go out at night with my torch & teaspoon and bucket to find the slugs and snails image

    if i can help any more just ask image

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