They look like small plants Sparkles. They just need potted on into deep pots, and kept watered. Multi purpose compost will do. Don't put them in too sunny a site or they'll suffer. When the roots are filling a decent sized pot you can plant out in an appropriate site.
Why are they in saucers?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They're only there and only in saucers for the photo Although it is actually a really sheltered spot, my garden's been really battered by the wind - my poor lupins! But when my kids and the kids next door play catch, it can be dangerous!
I watered them on a patio bench and didn't want muddy water on it, I don't usually use them - it's not good for them to stand with their roots in water, I know.
GD, I think they sent out a few different combos, mine didn't come until right at the end, so they must've run out of the original varieties. Some people say don't feed flowering plants as all you get is more foliage, but that's what we want this year anyway, root development and no flowers.
Wakeshine - I usually mix some vermaculite or sand into multi-purpose compost for potting on, depending on how sharp the plant likes the drainage. If I'm potting out I'll make the hole extra deep and put gravel at the bottom, as my soil is very heavy clay (we've had brickworks and potteries round here since Roman times). There are some plants that I can't grow except in pots and raised beds - French lavender, for example, hates my soil, so I wouldn't bother. It's all about right plant, right place.
The good thing about clematis is that a lot of them are fairly easy-going and there's so many types that you can find one to go anywhere!
Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants. I buy mine as 3' high, multi-stemmed plants in tall, narrow pots from a specialist grower. I then plant them in a good quality loamy compost for flowering plants in pots twice as deep and wide, if not more, and keep them there for at least a whole year so they can develop a good, strong root system before they go out into the hurly burly of life in the borders. I train them on willow stems and keep them pruned after flowering and move them to a frost free place for winter so their roots are safe.
Every time they are potted on or planted out they go in about 4" deeper than they were before as this encourages extra shoots. Whether they are in pots or in the ground they get a spring boost of slow release fertiliser and occasional liquid tonics of tomato food.
When I do plant them out I do it in early spring and cut all stems back so that I can put an upturned terracotta plant pot over them to protect the stems from hoeing accidents. They then get a good feed, a very good watering and a few slug pellets to protect new growth.
It's worth all the patience to get a really good, strong plant.
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)."
I have nipped most new shoots and I haven't let any of the plug clematis flower this year, doing this helps the plants to become bushier and encourage new growth at the bottom of the plants (Thanks to all who passed on this information to me earlier in the year). I repotted them a couple of times before planting them outside, but I still have one in the cold GH waiting for someone to dig me a very deep hole next to a cherry tree.
They've all been pinched out, but their growth was stunted a bit at the beginning as I didn't realise I had to take off the plug things they'd been sent in and nearly lost one. I think it must've been the alpina, as the roots were a fraction of the size of the montana, even accounting for the montana being a bit more vigorous - there's no way I'm planting it out until it's caught up a bit.
I've repotted the alpina and the montana into extra deep pots with a bit of bonemeal and gave them some a good soaking with some feed.
I think you are doing all the right things Sparkles. I lost one of them too just a few weeks ago from over watering, so I know how disappointing it is , but I am sure they will all be fine - I would be tempted by such an offer again, perhaps early next year. Some say to keep the roots in shade, but I had my clematis plugs in a cold GH but with the temperatures soaring up to 45 or over 100 degrees in recent weeks with no ill effects to the plants. I watered every day and sprayed twice a day - even my husband doesn't receive that much attention from me!
I bought a clematis from a well known chain store last year - smothered in flowers, I thought it would brighten up a rather dull trellis - but alas there is nothing to show for it now except a load of dry dead looking twiggy bits - I live in hope that the clematis will revive and after reading some comments on here that they can look "dead" for a few years before bursting into growth again, well I may get a nice surprise one day! Let's face it aym gardening is escapism from the family, telephone, computer or whatever else we subconsciously want to get away from , just as some men sit in their sheds or the pub or go to the gym - none of which interest me particularly..
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They look like small plants Sparkles. They just need potted on into deep pots, and kept watered. Multi purpose compost will do. Don't put them in too sunny a site or they'll suffer. When the roots are filling a decent sized pot you can plant out in an appropriate site.
Why are they in saucers?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Aren't saucers just to catch excess water? Just a guess as I've done that on some of my pots
They're only there and only in saucers for the photo
Although it is actually a really sheltered spot, my garden's been really battered by the wind - my poor lupins! But when my kids and the kids next door play catch, it can be dangerous!
I watered them on a patio bench and didn't want muddy water on it, I don't usually use them - it's not good for them to stand with their roots in water, I know.
GD, I think they sent out a few different combos, mine didn't come until right at the end, so they must've run out of the original varieties. Some people say don't feed flowering plants as all you get is more foliage, but that's what we want this year anyway, root development and no flowers.
Wakeshine - I usually mix some vermaculite or sand into multi-purpose compost for potting on, depending on how sharp the plant likes the drainage. If I'm potting out I'll make the hole extra deep and put gravel at the bottom, as my soil is very heavy clay (we've had brickworks and potteries round here since Roman times). There are some plants that I can't grow except in pots and raised beds - French lavender, for example, hates my soil, so I wouldn't bother. It's all about right plant, right place.
The good thing about clematis is that a lot of them are fairly easy-going and there's so many types that you can find one to go anywhere!
Patsy that plant in the square pot on the right is not a Clematis montana. The other two are Clematis, but not that one.
Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants. I buy mine as 3' high, multi-stemmed plants in tall, narrow pots from a specialist grower. I then plant them in a good quality loamy compost for flowering plants in pots twice as deep and wide, if not more, and keep them there for at least a whole year so they can develop a good, strong root system before they go out into the hurly burly of life in the borders. I train them on willow stems and keep them pruned after flowering and move them to a frost free place for winter so their roots are safe.
Every time they are potted on or planted out they go in about 4" deeper than they were before as this encourages extra shoots. Whether they are in pots or in the ground they get a spring boost of slow release fertiliser and occasional liquid tonics of tomato food.
When I do plant them out I do it in early spring and cut all stems back so that I can put an upturned terracotta plant pot over them to protect the stems from hoeing accidents. They then get a good feed, a very good watering and a few slug pellets to protect new growth.
It's worth all the patience to get a really good, strong plant.
Could be worse Patsy...could have been a weed.
I have nipped most new shoots and I haven't let any of the plug clematis flower this year, doing this helps the plants to become bushier and encourage new growth at the bottom of the plants (Thanks to all who passed on this information to me earlier in the year). I repotted them a couple of times before planting them outside, but I still have one in the cold GH waiting for someone to dig me a very deep hole next to a cherry tree.
They've all been pinched out, but their growth was stunted a bit at the beginning as I didn't realise I had to take off the plug things they'd been sent in and nearly lost one. I think it must've been the alpina, as the roots were a fraction of the size of the montana, even accounting for the montana being a bit more vigorous - there's no way I'm planting it out until it's caught up a bit.
I've repotted the alpina and the montana into extra deep pots with a bit of bonemeal and gave them some a good soaking with some feed.
I think you are doing all the right things Sparkles. I lost one of them too just a few weeks ago from over watering, so I know how disappointing it is , but I am sure they will all be fine - I would be tempted by such an offer again, perhaps early next year. Some say to keep the roots in shade, but I had my clematis plugs in a cold GH but with the temperatures soaring up to 45 or over 100 degrees in recent weeks with no ill effects to the plants. I watered every day and sprayed twice a day - even my husband doesn't receive that much attention from me!
I bought a clematis from a well known chain store last year - smothered in flowers, I thought it would brighten up a rather dull trellis - but alas there is nothing to show for it now except a load of dry dead looking twiggy bits - I live in hope that the clematis will revive and after reading some comments on here that they can look "dead" for a few years before bursting into growth again, well I may get a nice surprise one day! Let's face it aym gardening is escapism from the family, telephone, computer or whatever else we subconsciously want to get away from , just as some men sit in their sheds or the pub or go to the gym - none of which interest me particularly..