Back when I planted most of mine, I was buying them not as larger, more mature, potted plants as most here seem to do but as tiny 7-8" bare root slips - I wish I had known about the larger plants back then. Once planted, those tiny slips often 'disappeared' for several years before finally showing up again. I can't tell you how many times I wrote one of mine off as dead only to find it again years later often covered in blooms.
Because of those experiences, I would be reluctant to pull and toss a seemingly non-productive clematis, at least for several years. I've seen way too many suddenly spring back to life after being 'dead' for years.
Clematis are Starting...
I applause all of you" champs for clems"
I am caving in to pressure and
I will wait to see what happens. My Donehues order was smaller plants. I was convinced my late order gave me what was left over from that season.
Dont know - dont care. I am heartened with Dreams OS saying her plants were small and showed up years later. The empty spots where those clems were will not be noticed once the DL's and lilies and hardy geraniums fill in..
Dem and Dream are proof that while we're not watching clem's can be busy underground and pop up when we least expect it. I've had it happen more often than I thought possible.
Most of my Koi clematises are up, as they were last year, so I'm thrilled with them but not so thrilled with others from a disastrous co-op or some very expensive ones purchased a few years ago from another source we haven't mentioned on our clematis threads (no wonder!).
All 3 of my clems are up and running. Henryi and Dr. Ruppel(Rupple?) look great. Blue Light has 2 buds on it. I will get a pic tomorrow of that.
Meantime, this was Henryi a few days ago.
Henrii is a really stridant grower
Henryi is a great subject for layering. Good job, Kwanjin. Isn't it amazing how those first leaf buds just thrill us?
Jo Ann - Have you checked lately for any sign of growth on the two clem's with Gold in the name?
I'm still waiting impatiently for a few to show me some sign they're alive.
Come to think of it no. I'll check my grid to see where I planted them.
Stjolwiks Gold. $60 bucks down the drain if they dont show up. One of the 2 plants had dry soil that fell off the root bal. It wasnt well rooted in the first place.
I had to look up 'stridant'. LOL Yes, it is!
Here's 'Blue Light.'
great color.
Pirl....Well, your advice was perfect..."Yukiokoshi" was sitting there...barely out of the ground...couldn't make up her mind....and Poof!
2 flower buds, like big corsages, abour 6 inches off the ground, are developing....I couldn't find Epsom Salts here....so gave her
organic cow manure pellets, lots of water, and a stern talking-to...now that she's growing and blooming...any advice on keeping her alive?
My other plant, who's name tag has been lost, is climbing all over the rose next to it, and covered right now in purple flowers...very healthy.
Love these things....Santa Zita flower show is this next week...I might find another, different color plant.....maybe a pink...or a Nellie Moser.
Thanks again for your input......Honi
Its so great to hear your enthusim. Good Luck.
Honi - so glad to hear the good news. Keep her alive by watching that she gets sufficient water but don't go drenching her. They want cool, moist roots - not so wet they rot and drown. Any drugstore should carry Epsom Salt but the cow manure pellets seem to have worked their own magic.
What is covering the soil in front of the clematis - on the sunny side?
Pirl, when do you use epsom salts here in the USA, and can you use it after lime?
You can use it anytime. Are you using the lime for clematis? The Epsom Salt should not have a negative effect on the lime.
Just wanted to reiterate my words of encouragement to those who think their newly planted clematis may be dead. I don't 'baby' mine - although I greatly respect those who do so. The climate here seems fairly optimum for them such that, once established, they grow like weeds even without help from the gardener, and my back/knee problems just don't allow for garden time.
Anyhow, all of mine were tiny, bare root 'sticks' when initially planted. Many went into hiding for years before finally bursting out of the ground ready to go. I can't tell you how many times I've had to go in and edit my journal to change 'Dead' to 'Stable'. The most dramatic example of this was a white, the name of which eludes me at the moment, not one of the better known whites, a huge, white to cream, sometimes with hints of yellow.
She had been 'dead' to me (and in my journal) for some 4yrs when I walked out one day to find her not only very much alive but absolutely covered in the most awesome display of dozens of over-lapping, salad plate sized blooms, an event so unexpected and so show stopping as to be impossible to overlook. That plus the 1/2 dozen or so others that also came back from the dead has convinced me that a clematis is not dead until it has been missing for at least a decade.
Hoping those of you who are anxiously awaiting signs of life from one or more of your clematis will soon be rewarded. If not, don't despair. As Pirl pointed out, she may be very busy at work below ground and may show up next year rearing to go.
I'm still waiting on several clem's but I'm not giving up hope yet.
Yes, I throw a handful of crushed limestone early spring, or when I find them! Sometimes this little suckers elude me after planting. how much Epsom salt and how frequently?
I bury my clem's with a chunk of cement to provide some lime. Epsom Salt - 1 tablespoon to a gallon of tepid water and use about two cups (more if the soil is dry and less if the soil is wet) about once a month.
ok, will do. Found a Clem that a critter dug up, probably last fall, under my big beech, with all the snow and then rain, kept it from drying out. Replanted, have no idea what it is. Will be a surprise!
Now, that's an interesting mystery. You have no idea of the name?
Plants are so much tougher than we think.
pirl...Sorry for not answering right away....we had house guests...love visitors, but they keep me away from the important things....
found a partial tag on the purple clem attacking my "Shropshire Lad" rose....it's "Vyvyan" something....haven't found her on any list...
but she's really pretty...grew out of the dried stems from last year...so strange....full of buds.....by reading your blogs, it's possible
that several clems I thought were dead may not be....the flower fair had several pretty pinks...but I was afraid to buy for fear of losing them...but DreamofSpring's story is unbelievable...now I'm going to get crazed again and maybe try....we have lots of chunks of cement left over from the house remodel....maybe that's the secret.....it's sunny on the ground beneath the plants, Pirl.....bad? I can mulch with
something....there's good drainage...almost too good...it dries out quickly...and gets very hot here.........Honi
The Vyvyan one is Vyvyan Pennell.
Dream was right - they can lie dormant for years and pop back to grow beautifully. I've also had it happen. That's my hope with two expensive ones I bought. I'm considering burying them in one of the compost piles and then planting pink flags to remind me not to dig in the compost!
Please cover the earth in front of the clem with a large piece of bark, or a wide rock or a container with flowers in it. I know a lot of people will say to put a plant there to keep the roots cool but my fear is the roots will invade the clematis roots and rob water and nutrients so I don't abide by that thought.
Even very good drainage is so much better than water logged. Just provide something to keep the roots cool.
Here's Bluestone's photo of Vyvyan Pennell:
You can also add mulch to the soil all around the clematis and put a broken pot in front. If you're at a nursery that sells nice pots you can ask if they have any broken ones and ask to buy them. Some places will charge a minor price while others will just give them to you. Well worth asking about it.
Good idea!
Pirl....Many thanks.....will do...checked today for conditions around the plant (Yukiokoshi),,,,she's dry, although it's been windy so it's hard
to keep her damp....I'll put some really good compost around her in the morning, give her a good soaking, and see what happens...
I have lots of broken pot shards around....use them on the bottom of pots...and I'll set something up...problem is they attract our little
snail friends, who cluster under anything cool to avoid the heat...so far, no chewing on the clems...they prefer the pansies, and now, petunias....little bugers can strip a plant to the stem in one evening....I've been picking and throwing into the abandoned lot next door...
but it now looks like some bait is in order...Vyvyan Pennel is just beautiful...single flowers right now....they seen to go double later in the season...and I'm going to look where the other clems disappeared....they just might be coming back!! Thanks again...Talk soon.....Honi
Good luck, Honi.
Yes, the snails do tend to collect if you use bark. Not so much if you use the pottery and it's amazing to see the nice pieces nurseries will give away just for the asking. Even old broken plates can be used to shield the root area from the harsh sun. I'll take a photo later. Hidden bait would work well.
You could always try poking deep holes with a pencil or a Sharpie and using water crystals but don't get so close that you damage the roots.
Ashva
Caroline. I forgot it was going to rain today. Most of these got hit hard but I had a few blooms left to take pictures.
Etoile Violette
Piilu
Niobe
Nice Catt! Etoile Violette is magnificent!!
They are all so beautiful but that Etoile Violette is AMAZING! What are you feeding it? There isn't room for another blossom. It should be on a magazine cover.
Lady Betty Belford
Love it!
Pirl, I started using a product call Purely Organic. I get it for my roses and clems. It's a blended conbination of alfalfa meal, cotton seed, fish meal, feather meal, blood meal, steamed bone meal, soybean meal, finely ground rock phosphate, sul-po-mag, kelp, greendsand and other natural ingredients. No activated sludge. I buy it out of Gilbert, SC. The owner's name is Jim Young. He delivers to our rose society but I believe he is starting up a website. His number is 803-892-2651.
Arlene
This message was edited Apr 27, 2011 7:29 PM
Catt, those are outstanding!! I am so excited b/c I ordered Ashva and just transplanted Etoile Violette. I hope mine looks 1/2 as lush as yours.
Thank you so much! I'll give him a call tomorrow.
Arlene (pirl)
banana, Ashva is covered with buds. I couldn't get a really good picture.
Pirl, I believe I remember a 50 lb bag is $30.00. Might be a little less. I put two cups on each clematis.
Arlene