Clematis: Clematis talk, 1 by pirl

pirl wrote:
Yes, you can add lime.

I add a chunk of cement to continue to provide a touch of lime for the clematises.

Composted manure can be placed about two inches from the stems and you can allow it to behave like mulch. On top of that you can add a few inches of pine needles or tiny pine chips. My personal preference is the crushed pine needles from Agway, here in the northeast, but call first to be sure they have them - not all Agway stores carry them.