Is this Clemetis dead?
SandT
Posts: 70
I don't know what I keep doing wrong with Clematis. This is the Comtesse De Bouchard variety. It's been in the ground since late March, 40 CM away from the fence, and in a mostly sunny position and its roots shaded.
I very gently tied it in with twine, but over the past three weeks, its leaves have turned brown and crunchy, or have black shaded spots – which are assumed to be a disease.
Today, I need to plant a clematis The President. Is this one fully dead and should I dig it out? Or should I give it another go and plant the president elsewhere? I also seem to be struggling with Jasmine Trachelospermum. It doesn't seem to be growing, and is droopy. 
The front vine of the jasmine trachelospermum obviously needs to climb, but how do I do that when it's not near the wiring? Sorry if the pictures are in the wrong order. I'm doing this from my phone!
Clematis again ^
Last edited: 14 May 2017 11:27:41
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The clematis will probably be dry - that's the usual issue. There's also been cold weather, so it's normal for new growth to get a bit discoloured. It should be fine. Don't force stems into place - if necessary, add a few more canes to guide the new growth where you want it. It can be alittle tricky soemtimes, and new growth breaks easily. Not that it's ever happened to me....
You need to shove a cane or something similar into the ground and train your jasmine towards the fence and the supports. If it's long enough, and pliable enough, just guide it back and tie it in.
When you plant your other clem, just make sure it's nice and damp before it goes in, and the roots aren't tight in the pot. Plant deeply and water well after you plant. A good mulch with compost or well rotted manure will help with moisture retention too. Keep them really well watered, especially in long dry spells, and if there's a lot of other planting nearby competing for moisture.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
That looks to me like frost damage, or certainly cold winds. Give them a tonic of liquid tomato feed and be patient. Most clematis are hardy but soft new spring leaves and shoots will be frost tender. They are also gross feeders so give them a generous dollop of slow release clematis feed every spring and occasional tonics of liquid tomato food up until late June.
Make sure you plant your new clem about 4" deeper than it was in its pot. Give it a good soak first and backfill the hole with good compost mixed into the soil and water well.
Trachelosepermum doesn't like frost at all. Give that plant a feed too and then, when the shoot is long enough, lift it up to the wires and tie it in but I would advise stretching those wires much more tautly.
Last edited: 14 May 2017 11:42:02
I have Madame Julia Correvon and one year it 'died' mid season.
I cut it back to the ground thinking I had lost it but the following year up it came again!!
A lot of my clematis are growing through shrubs which is really the way they want to grow naturally,I hardly ever see the leaves just the wonderful blooms.The ones growing up trellis etc always seem to look a bit more scraggy especially when they have finished flowering.The ones growing through shrubs you don't notice once they have finished!
My Comtesse de Bouchard last year:-
Last edited: 14 May 2017 12:21:01
Wow, yours looks lovely!
Yes, it has been unusually cold for May. I will give it clematis feed and leave it where it is. I was advised by the garden centre to do vine eyes and wire, but my arthritic young hands probably weren't very good at tightening it. Do you suggest another form of support for Clematis or Jasmine T?
Last edited: 14 May 2017 18:54:38
Is there someone who could put a bit of trellis up for you? That's ideal for them and you can tie stems in more easily.
You can use free standing obelisks, but they're often a bit small for many climbers and you have to keep winding them round to keep them where you want them.
If you push a screwdriver through the vine eyes, you can get the wire a bit tighter as it'll wind it round them a bit. There are also tighteners/tensioners which you can attach to the wire for exactly that reason. I forget the name of them , but you can get them in diy stores.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
A close up of your Comtesse de B shows healthy, fresh, new growth at the leaf joints, although the main stem would appear to have been badly damaged, almost broken, probably best to cut that piece off.
The blackened leaves could be caused by too much nitrogen, what sort of compost have you planted into ? Or, the black could be a form of mildew, brought on by the roots being too dry.