Fact Sheet

Carole's Garden Clematis Nursery

Hybrid  Clematis

USES IN THE GARDEN

Clematis can be grown as climbers, or as ground covers provided they are provided with some form of netting or wires on which to sprawl or climb.  Planting beside a climbing rose is both complimentary to the rose, and ideal support for the clematis.  Several clematis forms are completely herbaceous, and are small shrubby plants.  All of the hybrid large flowering clematis are deciduous.

GROWTH REQUIREMENTS.

Being members of the Ranunculaceae family, clematis demand copious supplies of water in summer, and a moist but not waterlogged soil.  They should be planted into a well drained, rich, friable loam if possible.  Plant with the roots in the shade in a position where the plants can grow up into the sunshine. Large flowered varieties should be planted deeply.  The lower leaves should be removed and the lower two or three nodes should be buried, in order to produce a multi stemmed plant.  If wilt strikes, then the plant usually recovers and shoots from these buried nodes anytime up to several years later.  Where soils are subject to waterlogging the plants may be planted in a large bottomless tub to keep the crowns above the moisture.  The plants should be mulched deeply to encourage the development of roots from the nodal stems. “Plant deeply, water often, feed well for a long healthy life”. (Fisk 1994)

FEEDING

During the growing season the plants should be well soaked with water twice a week, and fed with a good liquid plant food once a week except when flowering. After the spring flowering flush. feed with granulated rose food fortnightly during the summer, after watering thoroughly.  Stop fertilising when flowers are about the size of peas.  Clematis put on growth very quickly, and flower well when correctly fertilised.

A 25 - 30cm length of black flexible drainage pipe, placed close to the planting hole at planting time will allow watering directly to the root zone.  The pipe is filled, and water allowed to seep into the ground, giving the deep watering required of the plant, and eliminating waste of water.

DISEASE

In the early 1900’s, many clematis plants succumbed to a mysterious wilt disease and their popularity rapidly declined.  However with the advent of fungicides such as Benlate and Captan this risk was lessened.  The usual method of propagation then was by grafting onto stocks of  C. vitalba, and this was blamed for causing the wilt disease, though this is scientifically unproven.  In my experience, most plants suffering from wilt do so either after drying out slightly, or after the thin, wiry stem is slightly damaged by kinking, or damaged by snails or earwigs.  If  wilt strikes, water well, after carefully cutting away wilted material back to where the wilt starts, or if at ground level, then removing the stem right to this level.  Water plant well, mulch and protect from snails or other damage.  In almost all cases, the plant will recover, and reward with multiple stems, and a more vigorous plant.  Often, only one stem will suffer with the rest of the plant suffering no ill effect.  We have to live with this problem, but the magnificent flowers make the problem fade into almost insignificance.  Plants seem to grow out of the problem as they develop a woody framework at the base.

Powdery mildew may appear in early summer, and again in autumn.  Some varieties are more susceptible than others.  This can be easily controlled using fortnightly sprays of one part full cream milk in 9 parts water.  Both upper and lower leaf surfaces must be sprayed.  For those growers of the rose/clematis combinations, then spray the clematis with the roses.

Aphids can usually be controlled with a soapy water spray, and are only a nuisance on the early spring growth tips.

PRUNING

Pruning is done according to the group your clematis belongs to.  Early flowering hybrids are pruned lightly in winter, as flowers are produced on the older wood, then pruned more heavily after flowering.  They will then return a second flowering season in late summer.  Mid and later flowering varieties are pruned hard in winter, almost to within 25 to 30cm of the ground.  Flowers are then produced on the new growth.  Flowering occurs normally about 8 weeks after cutting back.  Flowers can usually be timed accurately by this method.  If unsure which group your hybrid clematis belongs to, then prune lightly in winter then prune harder after the first flush of flowers.

With care and maintenance, your hybrid clematis should give decades of enjoyment. 

An excellent plant choice!