Well, as my skills and my garden has grown, so does some glaring planting errors. One that I need to address is the location of a Roguchi (in the location for 4 years) planted in too shady an area. My European Cooper Beech (one of the oldest in town) has grown so much that areas of the garden that were mostly sun/part sun are now shade/part shade. Part of that is the addition of new neighbors on both sides and across the street. The changes that they have made in their landscapes have impacted me far more than I thought about as I haphazardly added added those late season sale finds, always with the thought that I would find that "perfect" spot in the early spring. Oh well, planning is alway fun this time of year as I anxiously wait for the CT flower show at the end of the month! Any thoughts, advice ext will be gratefully used!
Moving an established clematis
First prepare the new hole for the clematis. Use lots of manure and compost. Plant the clematis at an angle so it will climb whatever you want to use to show it off - a trellis - or a shrub.
When you dig the clematis dig wide and deeply but don't go to too many extremes. You'll spot the roots and can just plant them in the hole you've already made for the newcomer. Add a handful of bonemeal as you plant it and be sure to water it in well but don't drown it.
Water once a week until it's established itself (about a month or two). Put something in front of the clematis to keep the soil cool - a piece of slate, a rock, even a potted plant will work.
Here's the roots on my Rooguchi, a gift from a dear friend.
Is it true that they should be planted much lower than the root junction??
Yes! Planting so the crown is 2 to 3" below the soil line is advised. If there would be buried leaves on stems, just remove them prior to planting.
I noticed a clem planted late fall had heaved up a bit, (back is bad so hubby does ALL digging now) so I threw on some compost and topped with mulch. I usually plant them so that they are at the same level as they were in the pot, but tilted a little to point them to what I want them to grow up/on. This is what was explained to me when I bought my first couple at a nursery, it could be wrong though.
See!! Defer to pirl!!
You did a good thing with adding compost and mulch. In spring you can add dry manure (a true blessing for bad backs like yours and mine) by Chickity Doo Doo (hard to believe that name but it's true!). Then add a bit more mulch. It will work its way down gradually, which is good. It's probably available in many stores but Agway does carry it for those of us who have one.
When first planting follow what dem did and tilt it at a 45 degree angle towards whatever you have in place for it to grow - a trellis, shrub, tree - and give it a stake to lead it where you want it to go.
Adding a handful of bone meal at planting time is always good. Complete the job by adding a handful of Epsom Salt diluted and dissolved in lukewarm water.
When I planted my first 18 clematises I did not plant deeply and yet they are all still growing. Using the magic trio of compost, manure and mulch you almost can't go wrong.
I typically throw a handful of regular garden lime on them in early spring, also follow up with foliar feedings with neptune's as they are planted within roses/shrubs ect.
I add a chunk of cement (the gray chunk on the right, just about at center) so it will provide a constant very light source of lime to the clematises. This clem is under a 55 year old row of pines so I thought it would be more important there than elsewhere.
There is so much dispute about whether or not clem's want lime, but I do it anyhow.
GREAT garden photo, Dem! Is that HF Young, maybe Bee's Jubilee and a white one? Lovely!
Daniel Deranda, Geurnsey Cream and Bee's. Just before a lightning strike.......
Beautiful!