CLEMATIS - QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

[Plocket]

Please use this thread if you have any questions or comments about clematis and the Clematis thread - thank you!

[Chuckles]

Love the thread P, I'm becoming a real Clematis fan and this is really going to help me and hopefully many others too. Some of mine have lost their labels so I may need your expert eye later in the year when they flower

[owainglyndwr]

Hiya P.
you may regret the words ... "If you have any questions"

I've finally gone and done it and bought 2 Jackmanii Clematis.
I bought them as an impulse buy tonight when I popped into Focus (Do it All)
Looking at them now, I wish I'd waited until Saturday when I'm going to Coed y Dinas GC (Welshpool) and paid a little bit more for them
They need potting on ASAP and the leaves are yellowing at the bottom

... are yellowing leaves bad ?

WB

[Plocket]

Thanks Chuckles, and no worries!

Hia Welshy! Well yellowing leaves can be bad but with a bit of TLC they should be fine. Pot them up using good quality compost (John Innes No.3) and put in a bright, sheltered spot. Keep an eye out for slugs because they LOVE fresh young clematis shoots, and hopefully your plants will be fine.

[JennyWrenn]

I just wondered how many Clems you have now Plocket
in total
;D ;D ;D

jenny x

[Plocket]

Erm.... I think it was 54 different ones at the last count Jenny - I've been very restrained lately ;D

Px

[JennyWrenn]

54 I thought you may say 15 or 20 at the very most

Goodness I must catch up then - need to go cleming soon ;D

jenny x

[Plocket]

Hardly Jenny! I checked and it's 54 at the moment and one more that is a bit dubious and might need replacing. I saw a gorgeous new one in the Crocus catalogue today, which has since been added to my wish list, so the number might increase soon!

[owainglyndwr]

Thanks Plocket
They're both looking a lot happier ;D

Now I've just got to work out where they're going to live

[Deleted]

Hi Plocket,

Would that would be Cassis?

Sara

[Deleted]

hi Plocket - I have a first floor flat with and unusual arrangement of a small terrace below my balcony down at ground level and no ground floor windows from other flats between.

Is there a clematis, preferably evergreen, that would climb say 4m to balcony height from a container to provide a visual link between the two?

I am not supposed to fix anything to the walls, but I have seen long bamboo canes used to stiffen carpet rolls which I could fix to the rail and locate in the pot. How big should the pot be to take care of say the next few years?

[Plocket]

Hia Summerswallow!

Well there are lots of evergreens available from ones that grow to about 4ft, to ones that are positively rampant like Armandiis! Obviously the smaller ones are more suited to container growing, and if your spot is sheltered (which it sounds as though it might be) you have more flexibility. However, all evergreens need sun - if you can provide that you are laughing.

I would suggest that you would need a container at least 18inches tall and 18inches in diameter - more is better - but it's also best if the container is made of natural materials like terracotta, stone, wood or even cement. Plastic and metal heats up too much and clematis like cool roots. The canes sound ideal and you could always put wires across the canes to provide even more support.

Let me know about the sun - whether you get any at all, not necesarily on the pot but on the wall where the clematis will grow, and I'll suggest some clematis for you!

[Deleted]

hi again Plocket - and the terrace and balcony get sun from midafternoon to sunset, so as well as drinks oriented it is going to be good for clematis too!
I just rang home and I may have over-estimated the height required a little - I am told 9 feet to the base of the balcony plus three feet of railings, so say 12 feet/4m overall height, not 4m plus.

Thanks for the idea about wires between poles - a bit like a ladder then?

[Chuckles]

plocket said:

Petit Faucon - integrifolia type clematis with deep purple flowers in late summer/early autumn - ring any bells?

It does P I definately have one that is currently having some TLC in a pot and I have the label Some of the Clems I have in temporary pots and labelled ? in the other thread are ones that I dug up back end of last year when I started re doing some of the borders some had no labels and I can't remember what they are or even what colour they are or cuttings that I've done. Roll on flowering time so I can find out what they are

[Plocket]

Hia again Summerswallow!

Yes I meant a ladder type thing - I've made a few myself when a bit short of cash and the plants soon cover them up so you don't need to spend a fortune on something elaborate.

It sounds like a lovely spot, but I think you're a bit short on sunshine for evergreens - I wouldn't put you off taking a gamble though!!!

Personally, given that it's not sunny all day, I'd go for a clematis in pruning group 3, which means they die back over winter then you hard prune in spring. The viticellas are very reliable plants and will soon cover 12ft or so of wall, plus give a wonderful display of flowers in the autumn. Have a look at this site: HULL DATABASE and type in Viticella - it will throw up loads for you to get ideas from. Do bear in mind that many of those listed will be hard to get hold of though!

Have a think on what colours you like as well because that's important, and if you want something specific I can recommend some mail-order sellers.

[Plocket]

Hia Chuckles!

Ooooh a label - that's promising!!! How exciting to find out about your unlabelled clematis too - if you are anything like me you'll be champing at the bit! I hope your Petit Faucon is doing ok - it's a delicious flower and well worth a bit of TLC I think.

[Deleted]

hi Plocket, and thanks for the info - when I get back in a few weeks, I can get to Scotsdales in Cambridge and see what they have of the group 3 and in the meantime window shop via the link!

[Plocket]

There's lots of pictures on my website if you want more ideas - click on the little house under my avatar and it will take you there. Enjoy your windowshopping!!!

[Deleted]

C'mon Plocket,

what was the clem in the crocus cat!!

Sara:)

[Plocket]

Oh I'm so sorry Sara - I missed your first post. Yes it was Cassis - it's stunning isn't it? I've quite a few clems on my list now though so I might have to get something more unusual first ;D

Px

[Deleted]

I want one too!

OH said and where is that going to go? Plant the other 3 first!!!

Sara ;D

[Plocket]

Bung it in a pot - that's what I do when I haven't got space!!! ;D I think I'm going to really push OH and ask for a couple of smaller clems for Easter though - Crocus will have that one for a while so I can wait - I think!!! Which three have you got to plant then? And how can you possibly wait? I get them and they have be planted instantly!

[Rosefriend]

Look what I have bought - went for some seeds and came back with these.



Clematis Fujimusuma and



Clematis Rüütel - don't know the English name.

What do you think?

RF

[Plocket]

YUMMY!!!!! Are you going to plant them together?

[Rosefriend]

What a fantastic idea - I have room for the Red one and I am desperately trying to find room nearby for the Blue one - never thought about planting them together.

Never done it before - do I just bung them in side by side or do they need a bit of room?

RF

[Plocket]

Side by side is fine! They are both Group 2 clematis so will both have the same pruning requirements so it doesn't matter that they get entwined. Make sure you plant them both at least three inches deeper than the crown and they'll make a stunning display together.

[Rosefriend]

Lovely Plocket - thanks for the tip.

RF

[Plocket]

You know where to find planting information!

[oldmoleskins]

hi P - have just given in to impulse addition to T&M 'basket' (bought asparagus) and had a clem 'sieboldii' reduced from £17.99 to £3.99.

Just to put me out of my misery while I wait... is it a good 'shed coverer' as they suggest?

OM.

[Plocket]

I've assumed it's a florida Sieboldii (there are other Sieboldii confusingly enough!) so I'm afraid OM I don't think it will be a shed coverer - not in the montana sense anyway.

Sieboldii is fairly tender and will need a bit of TLC over winter - either by bringing it into the garage/shed/unheated greenhouse if you grow it in a pot, or by putting it in a sheltered spot with some fleece or something similar over the base of the plant so you can protect the roots. It will apparently grow to 3 metres if happy but I find they are rather weak plants and even if in a sunny spot, which is what they need, mine is never as prolific as my other group 3 clematis.

I too have my bargain £3.99 Sieboldii on order from T&M which will hopefully assist in making a better display than I get at the moment with my 4-year old Sieboldii!