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Non Flowering/bare Montana Clematis
Tracy79
Posts: 2
I have a 3 year old Montana clematis which has never really taken off and bloomed. I planted it specifically to cover a trellis as I knew they were vigorous. It has spread across the trellis but never blooms much. This Spring, we are now in May, and there are two flowers and few leaves on the plant. Looks quite pathetic. Should I just give up or can I revive it? I want the trellis to be covered. Thank you. Tracy
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Can we have a look at the whole plant please, including the bottom, where it's growing?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Have you fed and watered it enough? How good is the soil it is in, it is very dry or very wet? It seems to have put in a fair bit of growth at some point.
(I have eventually realised my Clematis "Etoille Violette" has probably not been fed and watered properly for some time. After a good dose of Rose Food and a mulch it is begining to recover .)
As is my Guernsey Cream. Clematis are very greedy feeders.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
Doesn't look happy. I've made the mistake before of not planting them deep enough so as Dove says, it would be useful to see the base of the plant.
The roots enjoy being cool - I have two at opposite sides of the garden, both are doing well but the one with it's roots in the shade is clearly enjoying it so much more.
They advise cutting Clematis back hard in the first year though I'm not sure that is necessary with Montana.
Last edited: 04 May 2017 15:07:45
I have magnified your picture and the plant looks OK to me, there is green growth at all the leaf joints, when you say 3 years old, how big was the plant when you planted it ? Was it a full grown, 2 litre pot plant or a supermarket liner ? Where are you located, North or South ? It looks as though it could be quite windy through your trellis, is it ?
Personally I would cut it hard back give it a good feed and mulch and see what it does next year. It is not looking very attractive at the moment.
Montanas are only just starting into growth up here
As Richard says - it looks quite a small plant if it's been there for three years. We have heftier, moisture retaining soil so that's not usually an issue, but with the long dry spell in most parts of the country, and heat in many areas, the soil could be very dry there too. Drying winds and a lack of watering might be the issue.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...