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Clematis Wilt
Mother Hen2
Posts: 41
I have an unknown species of clematis (I lost the tag, although I'm pretty sure it's an alba luxurians - bought on a whim when reduced in price) which I planted last autumn which has been growing like a trouper but which over the last day has suddenly wilted. I have had experience of wilt before in another clematis I had and it was large sections of it which went, this time it is only the very new growth. I have researched and seen that the best way to deal with it is to cut it back to the ground, but before I take drastic action there isn't anything obvious I am missing is there? The plant is on a south facing wall, in the ground with the roots shaded.
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Clematis species do not get wilt, some of the Large Flowered cultivars do get wilt.
I would be very surprised if Alba Luxurians has wilt, put the hose on the roots for an hour or two , let them really soak see if it perks up.
How big is the plant and how big when you planted ?
Richard will probably not say it himself, but he is a genuine Clematis expert, and we all listen to what he says.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
My alba luxurians somethimes gets its stems chewed by slugs and that makes it wilt. The other major cause of wilt for me is OH being happy with a hoe so I now plant clems with a terracotta pot with the base bashed out and inverted over the base of the plant for protection.
Other than that, as Richard says, thirst will do it but not in my garden this week. 8 days of rain, rain, rain.
I bow to the Clematis expert! I will water it generously tonight Richard. The plant was about 30cm when I planted it in autumn last year and has now got to about 1.5m I would estimate. It died back completely over winter and new growth came from the base rather than the old growth (I am a new gardener and certainly know a very limited amount plants in general but know that some clematis I have growth appears from last years growth).
I have been puzzled, which is why I asked the question rather than just chop it down. As I say it is the fresh growth which is wilting, all of it, from the growing tips at the top of the plant to the new buds on the base of it, the older growth is unaffected currently but I imagine that it is likely to be more resilient to water loss than younger growth. We too have had a fair amount of rain recently but it is grown up the south side of the house so maybe it is very thirsty.
Obelixx - that is exactly what I have over the base of mine
Well it got a good soaking last night but it still hasn't perked up, the older growth is now wilting
Do I chop?? Maybe I remembered it's name wrong!
I'm very late to this conversation but have what I believe is clematis wilt. After planting in May with the textbook technique, I have kept the roots damp and followed all the rules. About 2 weeks ago the 'twig' sprouted green leaves and had reached the lowest cross bar on the obelisk. Yesterday it was all limp with a dark discolouration of the leaf edges.
I've since googled wilt and the clematis in question, 'madam le coultre' is one of a group that is particularly vulnerable. I've cut it right to ground level but it's all very discouraging. Perhaps make do with the bindweed?
So, Fishy65 what do you want us to say ? You planted a clematis in May, then in mid August the ' twig 'produced some green leaves ?
Had it no foliage when you planted it in May, has there been no foliage on the plant for the last 3 and a half months ?
Was it a mature, 2 year old specimen plant in a large pot ? Did you plant it deep, water, feed ?
Why blame clematis wilt ?
Crikey, talk about a frosty response. Richard, if you read my post you will see I planted the clematis according to the correct procedures. Yes it was planted with the root ball a good five inches below ground level. This root ball was surrounded with well rotted garden compost and watered liberally at the time of planting and at regular intervals since. Oh and garden compost was applied on the surface too. The base of the plant has been in shade. The plant was bought with a woody main stem and light foliage which was soon removed after planting by slugs.
I employed beer traps around the plant for the bulk of the summer. They caught a lot of slugs and snails. So...if negligence is the culprit rather than clematis wilt, I can see I will have to mount a 24 hour watch in order to ensure survival? Why 'not' clematis wilt?
I think it's more likely to have been snail damage - they strip the bark from new growth which then wilts.
When I had clematis that could get at in the evening, I used to go out in the evening with a torch and pick off hundreds of snails, large and small. Now most of my clematis are on a high fence above the Shady Bank, I daren't go clambering about up there in the dark - but those clematis are Alpina types, and tough as old boots.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
OK, fine, so a bit more information, please. How big was the clematis you planted ? Did it ever look happy ? You say by early August it had reached the lowest cross bar on the obelisk, how high is that ? The blackened leaves would suggest too much nitrogen, maybe.