clematis plugs

I have just bought a set of six different clematis plug plants from ebay and am not sure when they will be ready to plant out in the garden.

I have potted them on and don't have a greenhouse so am I best to try and keep them on a cool windowsill indoors for the time being?

When I do move them outside am best to leave them in pots this season til they are bigger or plant them in the ground later in the year?

Thanks, Lisa

 

If they have new soft growth on them dont put them outside yet. A cool window sill is probably the best bet. I think I would see how they grow, and if they are doing well by say, june plant them out. Wouldn't harden them off to outside conditions till perhaps, april or may but dont get them frosted.

 

When you pot on plant the plugs as deep as possible. If they are named hybrids you may suffer from 'clematis wilt' which causes the foliage to die back. If you plant deeply new buds form below ground and the plant sometimes recovers. Clematis like cool shady roots with their heads in the sun.

Personally I would keep them in a pot for at least a year before planting into the ground in Spring 2006. When you plant push a small length of plastic waste pipe (like sink waste pipe) into the planting hole and you can water direct to the roots, rather than watering round the surface which brings the roots up. (Handy hint: you can do the same with all shrubs, climbers and trees-they establish much faster). Simply remove pipe after a season and re-use elsewhere in garden. Hope this helps.

 

thanks a lot for the advice. At the moment they are on the window sil in the spare bedroom and I have turned the heating right down in there so its quite cool for them.
Lisa

 

Lisa build a little frame to it sits in the pot this will help the new growth to be supported and if I was you don't be in a rush to put them out not before the end may, you will find by may they will have grown three foot or so.
Dave