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Plant a potted clematis
Goldfinch 60
Posts: 143
good afternoon, I have a Clematis in a pot which has hardly grown, due mainly to slugs eating new growth.
Am I still safe to plant it in the ground now?
I live in Manchester
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What kind is it and how cold are you at the mo and where have you got your pot? Sheltered or exposed?
I would make sure the pot it's in is thoroughly watered then give it some feed to encourage new growth and slug pellets to see off the munchers and then plant it out when the ground is neither frozen nor waterlogged and keep up the slug treatment. You need to prepare a good hole much deeper and wider than the pot and work in plenty of rich compost and/or well rotted manure to improve the soil as clematis are very hungry, thirsty plants.
You should plant it 3 or 4 inches deeper than it was in its pot as this encourages extra shoots and thus more flowers. Water it well then give it some slow release clematis food and mulch it to help retain moisture.
They can be grown in pots, but it depends on the size of the pot, the type of clematis, and the ampount of care you can give it.
As Obelixx says, get it into the ground if it's suitable, and give it a good start as described - making sure it's in an appropriate aspect and location. You'll also need a decent support for it. Training new growth in horizontally as well as vertically gives a better display.
Do you know what variety it is?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...