Clematis Montana gone mad!

Anyone know what to do with these when they have developed minds of their own.

Both plants positively refuse to scale the trellis even tho i use gardeners wire to encourage them. They have got so heavy that they are leaning down rather than up and the wire isn't holding them the way it should.

Should i just put a couple of obelisks in front of them and let the do their thing?

 

Hi Paula,
The Montana is truly a great plant if you have space for it! All that wonderful mass of flowers in May nothing comes close to its beauty.

We had two at our old house one growing longside our garage and another at the back of it. The one at the side grew so huge Bob had to build a trellis walk through, I didn't have trouble getting it to grow through the trellis as I was always weaving it in and out it seemed very happy.
Maybe too happy the main stem got the size of a small tree trunk, very heavy indeed and so we had to remove the plant completely.
The one behind the garage was also getting ready for the chop before we moved last year.

If you want a clematis to grow up a obelisk I don't think a Montana is an ideal one as it will grow out of it within a couple of seasons if not sooner.A real beauty but bit of a thug! :D
Helen.xxx.

 

As said, C. montana is a BIG plant. One of ours is now flowering beautifully all the way across the Summerhouse roof and up into a 50 foot ash tree. There are smaller growing ones for a trellis. However, you can prune yours down to attempt to keep it in check. Doing it at the correct time will mean that you still get flowers. You can also be as ruthless with your pruning as necessary, they are almost impossible to kill. Any unwanted growth can be removed now, as long as you leave some new stems to flower next spring. Then after flwoering has finished cut it back as needed.

 

Hi Paula. Sorry to burst in on your thread but as someone who only took up real gardening last year it seems to be just where I need to put my query.

I planted a Montana Liz this spring and even got a few flowers this year. I didn't realise how big they grow until I read this thread and planted it to grow along a 5 foot high standard garden panel. The length of the paneling is not really a problem, it's a 66 foot stretch, but I am now wondering if it will be strong enough to support this particular plant in years to come. Should I move it to brick whilst it is still young and if so what time of year?

Thanks

John

 

You would need to train it very carefully along the base of the fence and then allow shoots to grow up from the main stems to the height of the fence. That way there is less weight actually resting on the fence. Have a look at pictures of step over fruit trees to see what I mean.
Training itself is fairly easy, just tie the shoots to a strong wire fastened to the fence about 9 inches above soil level and keep tying in the growing point until it reaches the length you want, then cut any new growth beyond that off.
If you decide to move it, then anytime when the soil is frost free and the plant dormant is ok. Take as big a root ball as you can and water well before and after moving.

 

John,

Burst away my dear the more the merrier :D

Thanks for the info guys, i have started to toss it over the top of the panels but it makes it's way back over when i'm not looking d'ya think i should replant it at the base of the tree trunk at bottom of garden? It is in partial+ shade tho so would it be ok there

 

:eek: - I'm a bit worried reading this - I planted a Montana on a leg of a four legged arch this year (it had two little flowers on it at the time). There's a Kiwi on one corner which is going bananas (or kiwi) and a Campsis on each of the other two legs. I see the Montana has gone from half a metre high at planting to up over the arch now. Methinks I may have put it in the wrong place. I didn't know it could go up a tree - I thought nothing grew under trees.

Looks like we are all going to be swamped next year :D

 

my montana doesnt seem to be doing too well the leaves are dying off wonder whats wrong with it, I have another one and that seems fine, they are on my balcony in rather large pots

 

kryssy and rosa
wait till next spring you wont believe the groth
you will be hacking it down with an axe :D :D

 

so kathy3 do you think this is normal it dying off like this

 

hi Rosa mine always look scraggy after flowering
especially if windy conditions,but believe me come spring away it will go,this year i have cut mine back quite a bit,it was getting under the eaves,was scared it would attic the attic :D

 

kathy3 it could of been the wind as im on the top floor although my balcony is shaded its still gets the powerful winds

 

Well guys and girls i am gonna be really brave and try and grow it up a massive trunk, I have two Montana's so one will go at the base of the trunk (it's quite a sunny site) and the other can clamber all over the Wisteria frowing over front of house.

Wish me luck, who knows where this will lead :D but hey you have to experiment right?

 

A G don't plant it to near to the trunk of the tree plant it a short distance away the ground will be too dry and your clematis will stuggle, as it grows train the growth into the tree.

 

Thanks Walnut, never thought of that