Clamatis

I've got a clamatis, which I bought last summer (2006). It had quite a lot of new growth in the summer and climbed up the trellis. I didn't cut it back at all. I have noticed that new buds have started to form and also noticed that the roots are visible at the bottom of the pot (it is in the original pot I bought it in). Can anyone tell me when I can re-pot it and when it is safe to do so??.. I have protected the roots from the frost this week, by covering with a fleece. The roots are already covered with leaves and mulch, as I understand they like the dark.

 

Repot it deeper than it currently is when the soil temperature is warmer - probably late march.

I am sure if this advice is not right somebody else will put me right. But this is what i did last spring with mine and it appeared not to suffer at all.

 

Brilliant, thanks for that!

 

your clematis certainly does want to be much deeper, this way if it gets the dreaded "Wilt" you may stand a chance of it comming back at a later date.

If you don't know the name of the clematis, perhaps you could describe the flower and what time of year it flowered and we may be able to advise on pruning.

 

Not sure what it is called, but has pale violet flowers, which turn into "balls" It flowered all summer June - September. Thanks!

 

I am sure there will be a lin somewhere on the site for you to look up type of clematis. Often if they flower late they are pruned hard back round about now. It would more thn pay you back in flowers if you could identify it.

 

Hi just a tip for your clemetis, yes prune it back not sure when as im not sure which you have but when it regrows pinch of all flowers that are dead and keep on top of that and also feed with tomato plant food the clemetis i had in my last house was a big mass of flowers for most of the year. Deff goin to get clemetis for this garden when i have got it sorted they are such a lovely site to see.
Good luck
little.angel xx

 

As a very general rule, if a plant is grown in a container/pot it can be planted out any time of year unless the ground is frozen! Plant clematis deeper than it was in the container. They like to keep their roots cool too.

 

Hi, i have 5 clemitis of diffrent sorts, i was told if your going to plant in a sunny position place broken slate around the root area.
Its worked for me so far! hope this helps.

 

Only problem with using slates like this, is that slugs and snails love to hide under them. They are more likely to be the cause of sudden die back of clematis stems which is often mis diagnosed as Wilt. These molluscs love to chew through the stems near ground level. It is easy to tell the difference between 'mechanical' dmage like this and wilt , by the way. Wilt starts at the top and kills downwards. Mollusc damage kills from the bottom up. Also wilt gains entry through 'mechanical' damage.
Best site for id is http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/