New hand here

[GardeNerd]

Hi,

Glad to see you over here. I am pretty new to the Easy Garden as well, but there are lots of familiar faces. Welcome!

=patandchickens wrote

Clematis often enjoy a large rock on their roots, or a big paver (might cover it in mulch in a hot sunny climate). Helps keeps the roots cool and moist.

Pat

Great Advice!
This is how I grow Clematis here in Southern California. I also planted one amongst a climbing rose and it has done well. Supposedly I should not be able to grow it where I live. Fortunately, no one told my Clematises. They have done fine about 6 years now.

 

[Southern Gardener]

I have six clematis vines - some single petal, some double - they look great in the spring but in the dead of summer -

 

[Beekissed]

When you say you damaged it, what do you mean?

Accidentally broke one of the bigger, main vines in two, with just some strands holding it together. Seemed to shock it into full bloom again late in the fall and it was showy and beautiful, long after everyone else's Jackmanii were gone. So....being a curious gal, I did it the next year also. It worked. :weight

 

[aquarose]

Hi Davaroo! Welcome. I am bluie over at BYC. I have abused many kinds of clematis. Most recently, I have a 4 year old Niobe that was just starting to get going, and then my husband decided to clean out the flower bed. I hope it is still alive. He killed the sage. My jackmanii, normally a cast iron plant, isn't showing any signs of life either. I think its been run over too many times by all the kids around here.

 

[CityChook]

Hi Dave - I always enjoy reading your posts and your approach towards life. Nice to see you over here!

Can't help you with the clematis. It grows here in MN, but alas, I don't have any. Good luck!

 

[davaroo]

Thanks everyone for the welcome!

The one thing I've always remembered about clematis is it's love of cool roots. Of all the gardening tidbits a'swirl in my fevered mind, that one sticks. My current transplants are:

"Dr. Ruppel" - large bloom, pink w/ deep salmon bar
"Cezanne" - large bloom, lavender

They were purchased at the local garden center, for an exhorbitant $10 - each! Lori liked the colors and that is all it took. Any talk of economizing was gone at that point.

So they have been well dug in with composted manure, a healthy dose of peat and are well mulched at the mo'. We shall see....

 

[theOEGBman]

Hey David! Glad to see you over here as well.

 

[davaroo]

Hey David! Glad to see you over here as well.

Jordo - - thanks buddy!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi davaroo! :coolsun WELCOME TO TEG

I collect clematis (in a small way) I have about 25 of them dotted aroud my front & back gardens and so have a succession of them blooming throughout most of the year (Yes, even the winter)!!

They are one of my most favourite flowers. At the moment I have "Freckles" & a pink Clematis Montana in flower -- This montana is about 18ft high & 12ft across. It grows across the back of a blue painted wooden barn. When it comes into bloom every year it's a sign that Spring is really here. " Freckles" has been blooming all through the winter -- in fact it blooms pretty much throughout the year. The flowers are small & bell-shaped. It cheers me up in the dark winter months. I've just ordered another winter-flowering one that has a beautiful perfume & glossy green leaves -- can't wait for it to arrive

My advice for planting is to dig a very big hole, put lots of really good compost in (must be aged stuff) Lay the new clematis in, spreading the roots out carefully, refilling the hole with a mixture of good soil & more compost, water very well. To me the watering is VERY IMPORTANT in the first year -- This helps it get established. I leave my hose on the area for 10minutes at a time not just a dribble & on to the next plant. Most people seem to think a little but often is enough, it isn't the answer; better a good long drink twice a week. That way the water gets down to root level, otherwise you are attracting the roots up to soil top where they will dry out & die. Sorry, this is a bit of a rant, but so many people complain that their clematis die off in the first year!

It is very important to mulch the plant. Personally I use large rocks all round the clematis because the earth is cooler underneath & it also is a clue that there is a plant there (important when it isn't in leaf & clue as to where to dump the next years compost) "Cool feet with head in the sun" is the old saying about what a clematis likes !!! :happy_flower:coolsun

I always give mine a foliar feed when they start coming into leaf in the spring. It gives them an extra something to get them going!!

Hope this helps, HAPPY GARDENING :tools :tools :tools :tools :tools :tools

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[davaroo]

Hi davaroo! :coolsun WELCOME TO TEG

I collect clematis (in a small way) I have about 25 of them dotted aroud my front & back gardens and so have a succession of them blooming throughout most of the year (Yes, even the winter)!!

They are one of my most favourite flowers. At the moment I have "Freckles" & a pink Clematis Montana in flower -- This montana is about 18ft high & 12ft across. It grows across the back of a blue painted wooden barn. When it comes into bloom every year it's a sign that Spring is really here. " Freckles" has been blooming all through the winter -- in fact it blooms pretty much throughout the year. The flowers are small & bell-shaped. It cheers me up in the dark winter months. I've just ordered another winter-flowering one that has a beautiful perfume & glossy green leaves -- can't wait for it to arrive

My advice for planting is to dig a very big hole, put lots of really good compost in (must be aged stuff) Lay the new clematis in, spreading the roots out carefully, refilling the hole with a mixture of good soil & more compost, water very well. To me the watering is VERY IMPORTANT in the first year -- This helps it get established. I leave my hose on the area for 10minutes at a time not just a dribble & on to the next plant. Most people seem to think a little but often is enough, it isn't the answer; better a good long drink twice a week. That way the water gets down to root level, otherwise you are attracting the roots up to soil top where they will dry out & die. Sorry, this is a bit of a rant, but so many people complain that their clematis die off in the first year!

It is very important to mulch the plant. Personally I use large rocks all round the clematis because the earth is cooler underneath & it also is a clue that there is a plant there (important when it isn't in leaf & clue as to where to dump the next years compost) "Cool feet with head in the sun" is the old saying about what a clematis likes !!! :happy_flower:coolsun

I always give mine a foliar feed when they start coming into leaf in the spring. It gives them an extra something to get them going!!

Hope this helps, HAPPY GARDENING :tools :tools :tools :tools :tools :tools

:rose Hattie :rose

Very nice, Hattie. I can do all that> Well I have done the mulching and peat and can add some stones to the mulch layer. I will be sure to give it more water, too. I put a soaking hose around it, but
can give it a good watering, too. THanks!