I thought I had a lot of purple Clems, but as they start to bloom they are mostly pink, pale pink to white. One I know is purple since it is my oldest. I guess I need to buy more purple and reds.
The ones I get at the end of the season are a guessing game. they dont always turn out to be what you thought.
Spring clematis chat continues
I've had so many not true to name and so far apart in color from the photo on the label from reality that it's amazing I still trust stores. Actually, I don't really trust stores but trust Brushwood and a few other sites.
I may have to dig up Avante-Garde and see what;s up with it. That one and Henryi. Both are no shows.
Celia -
I have some that show later than others. I wouldn't start digging anything yet. I have also had some that don't show up for a year and then are back like they have never missed a step, so make sure you continue to water those areas as well.
This the third year for my Advante Garde. I had 2. one just never grew. This one came up but and grew about 4 inches last year and that was it and then it was gone. So this year it went in a pot. It just does not want to put out roots. I have given it manure, Epson salts, bone meal. Anyone have any ideas?
Such pretty photos of Avante Garde but no clue as to what is the issue with it. http://www.google.com/search?q=clematis+avant-garde&hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4GZAZ_enUS418US418&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=m5qWT-WuO5SI6AGU-qWrDg&sqi=2&ved=0CG4QsAQ&biw=1003&bih=486&sei=sJqWT4-ENIT26AHpnIW2Dg
Where did you buy it, Marie, and was it a plug or a full sized plant?
If you really want it, I'd suggest you buy it again from Brushwood.
Celia - if all of your others are up but not Avant Garde or Henryi (and there are no sprouts) you can wait or dig now if you're impatient. My older Josephine didn't grow last year and didn't sprout at all during the winter while I kept it in the small greenhouse on the indoor porch. So buying a cheap clem was just throwing money on the plant and the shipping, out the door. I'll stick with Brushwood and Garden Crossings (except for the lure of the foot tall clem's at Walmart!).
It was 2 plugs Pirl, and they were not cheap. I was told that they were 2 year old plants. I will be hitting the store and getting more purple ones tomorrow along with some more mulch.
Well, isn't that just rotten? I hate when that happens and for the wasted money. More than that, we wait and wait for blooms only to have dead plants on our hands.
The President is a nice purple with a sheen.
Multi Blue is more purple than "blue" and it's double.
Maria Franziska has been here two years without a single bloom. Hiss, boo on the place where I bought it. Never again!
Jackmanii is tried and true but may be larger than you want.
By the way, I did notice the Walmart clem's are plugs and some are popping out of the soil while others are well planted. For $6.97 I was willing to take the chance and it is over 1' tall already (lots of stems!) so I'm wishing myself luck.
Lowes had some real nice Multi blues in stock and healthy too. That is where I think I will go.
Hi Everyone, Carolynn- We had 2 inches of snow here also. Any place west of us got pasted with lots of snow but, as you know that is typical of our weather pattern.
CLEMATIS IN SPRING SNOW STORMS. this is what I have noticed and I am sure it doesn't cover certain varieties,sites or thumb colors! I do not have any Montana's,Tangutica' nor types that are thought to be tender or difficult. Leaf Tissue Damage -I have not seen any frozen or discolored foliage from this weather. Breakage- Not that I have seen, I think this is due to the light structure that does not hold much snow weight. I have had FOUR STEMS SPLIT LENGTHWISE. I think but do not know this was caused by cold temps and wind rocking and I don't affix older stems to supports well,I am afraid if constricting growth! A VISIT FROM THE GRIM REAPER ! I have not seen any such visitations shortly or within a few months of this horrid weather.....It is still going to be cold and muddy to do a lot in my garden!! Lee
Henryi was bad last year. I thought it was a goner then. DH reminded me Avante-Garde put out a shoot and a couple of tiny leaves early in March and then froze. I think I'll leave them both until the end of the month.
Kwanjin, I've my Avante-Garde in a deep ceramic type container. This is my first spring with the gallon-purchased plant from last summer. I'll keep you posted as to how it does. Some clematis just "sleep" and mine appears to "creep" at the moment, I hope it eventually "leap" in the near future. Best of lucks.
Thanks, Lily. Everyone gives me hope!
This was Henryi last year.
Try giving Henryi and AG a drink of Epsom salt and see if they wake up.
Out here Lowe's had many gigantic clematis Blue Light for (I think) $12.88. All in flower!
I've already done that and given bonemeal. I need some manure but that won't be until later in the week.
Then patience is called for and that's never easy. (Join the crowd!)
Lost this thread for awhile, but glad I found it again.....most of my clems are budded, but none are blooming yet.....Blue Light looks the best...very robust....the 3 clems i planted from Brushwood last year....Omoshiro, Gypsy Queen, & Ito all look great and are budded.....
Hurray! We all love success stories.
I hope that everyone in the northeast fared well this week, and I hope no damage occurred to the plants. It got pretty chilly over the last few days with temps in the high 30's and low 40's at night here, but thank goodness no snow.
I do have to say that the composted manure and Epsom salt does make a difference. Here's Huvi this week. Do the darker clematis seem to prefer more shade?
Annette
Huvi is gorgeous - I really like the digitalis in there as well.
I received an email from my Dad last night - they are down in NC just north of Myrtle Beach - apparently they have been having some cold weather there as well - which surprised me.
Thanks Carolyn, I do like the rich color of Huvi. The weather here has been crazy, now we're going back into the 80's during the afternoons this week. I prefer the cooler weahter since it allows th blooms to last longer on all of the plants, the heat is going to fry them.
It's only 41 right now so that will delay the start of this gardening day. A friend down in central Florida woke up to 40 two days ago!
Annette - Huvi is a lovely color and, like Carolyn, I enjoy how it matches the digitalis. Glad the composted manure and ES made a difference for you. Even if the change can't be noticed, it's still good for the clem's.
One of my Belle of Woking clem's wandered over to a hydrangea and it will cover the top of the hydrangea by blooming time. I love the unexpected surprises and this clem is 19 years old so the spurt of growth must be from the manure. I had a heavy bag of old manure outside in the winter and just to be done with it I dumped it on the fireplace clem's. in early March. BoW seemed to enjoy it more than the others.
My darker clem's do not seem to want or need more shade. Odd but it's Nelly Moser that fades if it gets too much sun.
When a Clem label says part shade, will the east side of the house be good?
Mine gets mostly morning sun, then some early afternoon , then shade.
Which clem?
Both the Henri and the Multi blue
Here Henryi has expanded in a southeast (more east than south) exposure and now fills 3' of earth in width so I'd say it loves it. Multi Blue has a northwest exposure and, while it doesn't have as many blooms as I'd like, it always looks good and doesn't fade at all.
Would you consider potting them up and planting them in their pots? If they don't perform well it would be easy enough to lift the pots and find another place for them. If they do well then just take them out of the pots and you already have the holes made.
Too late already planted...lol
One was put on the east side an the other was put on the west side bed beside a evergreen tree, but behind the small azalea's. It should get morning sun and then filtered sun and then shade. I did put plenty of bone meal with them. I am still on the hunt for the manure.
Who would ever have thought manure would be hard to find? LOL
The best we ever had came from a hardware store and it was a gold bag. The name had something with "Texas" in it. Wish I could find that one again.
I might have to go to a nursery to find it. No big box store has it. Maybe on my way to work tomorrow I will stop at the nursery I like to get summer veggies..
Good idea. Agway should have it if you have one near you.
Do you all have Walmart up north? I purchased Earthgro organic composted manure with humus, that was only $1.47 for a 40lb bag. When I saw the price, I had to ask the cashier if it was correct, and she said that was always the price. I got 2 bags.
Today was a great garden day here. It warmed up, got a little too hot, but I took my time and planted the last 2 clematis Arabella, the last of the lilies, and the brugs. Only a few more irises and daylilies are left be planted for this spring. Hope everyone had a pleasant day. Annette
Annette
I have seen Arabella in garden photos. She is gorgeous. I think she will be pretty with the lilies.
Good to know Carolyn, I planted 2 each in the beds with the peonies, lilies, and irises.
This off the topic of clems, but what do you plant among your day lilies? I am sure it would have to be a low growing plant. I am still trying to fill in my last bed. I need something among the roses there also.
I plant iris in with my daylilies.....all kinds, from dwarf to spuria....
I was just at Walmart and didn't even look at manure to see the bargain you got, Annette! I'll have to see Arabella now.
Marie - Mostly I have daylilies with more and more daylilies but I've worked in coreopsis Zagreb, salvia, yarrow, some sedum, alliums, spring crocuses and daffodils (carefully marked so I don't think they're vacancies when the foliage dies down).
I want something that will still bloom once the dayliles are done and waiting for their second flush, but wont over shadow the lilies in bloom.
Dahlias. They come in all colors, heights and sizes of blooms. Home Depot had a large selection when I was there. They'll bloom at the very end of the lily season and go on until frost.
Clematis et al.
