Clematis

I have recently purchased a Clematis montana and Armandi, I have two others I have lost the labels, I think one is countess of lovelace and I can't remember much about the other except is is summer flowering and pink. Neither of them have put on much growth at all. I haven't pruned them back at all and I planted them last April. Both have some nice new shoots which is good but I was wondering about feeding them - did I read somewhere to feed clematis tomato food? - any ideas if and when I should prune them and by how much?

With my recently purchased Montana, can I train it up a wall which is in shade for almost all of the day or will I have few flowers? Also will it do okay in a container as opposed to in the ground?

Thanks

EGW x

 

Hi elliegreenwellie, I love Montanas but I`m no expert,I tend to plant and watch, although I did have a very successful plant growing over the roof of a north facing shed which only caught the sun in the late afternoon, but that was in the ground.

This link should help.

http://www.homeofclematis.net/html/pl_05.htm

 

Thanks pip - I think I best put it in the ground as I haven't seen anywhere that says they do well in containers. I really should have left a couple of paving stones off my patio so I could put climbers in there! It will just have to be trained a long way - I understand montana are pretty vigarous though thankfully!

 

Hi Ellie I'm one of those people that think tomato food is the spice of life in fact I feed all our plants on it and boy do they do well on it.

I use the little and often method myself.Hel.xxx.

 

Certainly clems do well on tomato food Helen. They seem to like the potash.

 

Don't know Bob. Vitax is a trade name and they do several different organic things. I suppose it depends what you used. Generally potash produces foliage not flowers but I stop feeding early in growth and have had no problems.

 

Strange that Bob. Growmore is not actually high in potash. I think it's a 10/10/10 which shouldn't favour leaves before flowers. I would have thought that just scattering it wouldn't really matter too much. If they put nothing into flowering last year they should be great this year. My stupid jacmanii didn't start growing last year till late but this year is putting out shoots like there is no tomorrow. Are you keeping the roots cool? The roots don't like full sun, but the tops don't mind.

 

Ellie there is no problem growing clematis in a container (the bigger the better)I have three in a 20"pot that do well,montana is probably too robust for a pot,tomato feed is ideal as helen and john have said,bobj clematis are slow to get established can take a year or two to settle(lovely shot of your garden bob).
try this link http://www.ukclematis.co.uk/text/planttx.html

 

Looks fine to me, bobj. I did a clematis count recently and I have TEN in my garden. The montanas are in bud just now, the vitcellas also, but I did have some damage to some of the clems with the gales we had earlier this year. I hope they will recover, as many shoots were snapped off by the wind. Also, some take a year or two to establish themselves in the ground. The ones in pots, need a BIG pot.

 

Lovely set of pictures there Bob I bet it's enchanting to sit out in that space on a cool summer's night! Hel.xxx.

 

Or even better on a warm summer's night. :D

 

Slight change of tack, but it is clematis. My local Morrison's is selling off (end of line) clematis and honeysuckle at 89p. Not a lot of choice here but I bought a ville lyon and a honeysuckle for my new picnic area for �£1.78. Just thought you may like to check at your branch.