Clematis help needed

Hello again

My neighbour planted a clematis in the garden last year, it was growing at an fast rate and as this was the first one I've seen, I was quite amazed by it.

Unfortunately for whatever reason (maybe the winter), it died this summer and its been cut away however, as you can see from the attachment, its sprouted a little seedling and its beginning a life of its own.

I've got doubts over it will survive or not, or even flourish in this position in the garden however, my neighbour is sticking to his guns and not letting it be moved.

Just to give you a better idea of where it is, its at the far left hand corner, to the left of the farthest left bamboo shoot.

 

Hi Maradona

Is the new growth in roughly the same position as the old plant? I'd be surprised if it was a seedling. It's much more likely that, although the top growth died, the roots of the clematis survived and what you're seeing is a new shoot growing from the base of the plant. It's not unusual for clematis to die back without warning, but often they will grow back - so it's always worth waiting to see what happens before digging out any roots!

Do you have some reason to think it won't do well where it is? Generally the rule with clematis is 'heads in the sun, roots in the shade', although it isn't an absolute.

 

Hiya Clara

Your probably right, its not a seedling and its just shoots from the previous plant.

Seems that keeping in its current position is best but from first light until around 4pm in summer the whole plant will get full sunlight.

How can it be positioned where the root is in the shade?

 

Hi there

It'll probably be fine where it is - I would leave it alone and see how it does. As far as shading goes, you're really aiming to keep the roots cool and moist. You could do this by giving it a good mulch with lots of compost - although be careful not to smother your nice new shoot while it's still so small. Water your plant regularly, especially through hot spells and watch out for slugs and snails which often seem to love new clematis shoots (you could use a few pellets just until your plant is re-established, or try a beer-filled slug trap or 'slug-pub').

Unfortunately clematis do have a tendency to die down, as yours did, and it doesn't necessarily mean that the gardener has done anything wrong. Happily, they often recover. Clematis suffer from a disease called 'clematis wilt'. Rather like M E, no one seems to know exactly why it happens or what causes it . I've just planted a variety called 'Etoile Violette', which has deep purple flowers - not as large as some other varieties, but produced in great numbers over a very long period. (I posted a picture in the 'What's Looking Good in June' thread.) It is very reliable and doesn't suffer from the dreaded wilt.

 

The probability is that the plant suffered from Clematis wilt. This means that the top growth died back but the rootstock is still viable. Thus the new shoots:gnthb: It will regrow, but it may suffer from wilt again next year.:thumb:

 

Well, how to say this ?????
Maybe I'm hard hearted Hannah BUT
Sometimes you have to decide how much space a plant is worth - or how much time and money to invest in it.
Sometimes you can look at a plant and say that could be saved - but the question is will it ever be a decent plant.
At the end of the day it comes down to how much time, space and money are you prepared to invest.
I think I've got quite hard hearted - if it's a runt plant it's out.

Your neighbours Clematis might survive, or even come good in a few years.
I'd have it out and put something worthwhile in that space.

 

Shame on you, Alice - and you with your nursing training! :hehe::hehe:. I think it all depends whether you think a plant is taking up prime space you would rather free up for something else, or whether you can afford to leave it where it is, give it a bit of TLC and see what happens. I recently bought a fairly expensive Salvia gregii with bright purple flowers which promptly died on me. Every leaf on the plant was brown. However, I just had a feeling that if it were left alone it might recover - and lo and behold, it has now made a full recovery.

 

Very often when a clematis dies right back like that, the result is a much stronger plant in the long run, as it concentrates its efforts in making a good root system while not bothering with the top growth.

 

I planted a clematis about 7 years ago, to ramble through some trellis along one side of our decking. I ensured it's roots were/are in the shade and, when it grew, it's head was in the sun. Almost immediately it sent out loads of long tendrils which were carefully 'threaded' through the trellis and I sat back and waited for it to flower. I waited in year 2 and year 3 and - well, so long did I wait that I'd actually forgotten I'd even planted it. Suddenly this year, and for the first time ever, I noticed a flower, then it had another and another - 8 in all. OK, was it worth the wait? Not really, but it's a start .... or maybe its 'swansong' - either way, it was a nice surprise.

 

Sorry ClaraLou, but I feel no shame.
I'm 65 and I'm making my last garden.
Everything has to earn its space. I don't feel I have years to spare to see if sickly plants will come good. They have to be good now. I do want some time to enjoy them.