Clematis

I wish I had room for rose bushes - the only room I have is for mini rose bushes but I love those - they are so sweet looking and still very colourful in the garden. I really HATE thorns too LOL

I have had good success with shrub roses. With Floribunda, it depends on how rainy the season is. Last year I did not have to spray at all - almost no black spot. Other years I could not keep up with it. Supposedly, some of the newest hybrids are the most resistant yet. The easy care, knockout, flower carpet, etc., series, are reputed to be very disease resistant. Haven't tried any yet.

I have double knockout and , yes, very easy also. I stuck it in a pot on the deck and it's done so well that it's still there. It's a BIG pot, but seems very happy. Here's a pic

Venu, do you spray your HTs?

I use a spray mixture of Messenger, baking soda, kelp and mild soap about every three weeks. Everything gets some. If it's green, growing and in my path it gets some!

Yesterday there was a representative from Messenger on radio, Ralph Snodsmith's show. She said to use it when plants start leafing out and always when you transplant anything. For roses it can be used when they have their first swelling buds - they don't have to have leaves for it to be effective. For tomatoes she mentioned just a spray will suffice - no need to drench any plant or to try for both sides of leaves.

She also said if you're going to mix it with other items to always put the Messenger in the container FIRST, then add the other ingredients.

Venu, That's great. No chemicals. Soap & baking soda are both for fighting bugs? Messenger & Kelp would be more preventative.

Does anyone have the Sweet Autumn Clematis?? It looks so pretty...I have only seen them in pics but never around here. On the internet it says it is good for zone 4 but none of our nurseries sell them. I would love to give this one a try.

We have a neighbor who has one and she calls it a weed. It grows up into trees in just one season.

Yes, I would think twice about that one, Dawn. It self-seeds so much it will end up everywhere in your neighborhood!

Really? Wow - thanks for sharing. I didn't know that. It just looks so beautiful from all the pics I have seen. Okay I think I will just stick to the ones the sell around here LOL I guess that is why they don't sell them here LOL

Okay one more question here. Depending on what pruning type clematis you have - which one flowers the longest??? Does it matter on what pruning type? I am just curious because I would like loooooong flowering clematis...any suggestions?? LOL I can't shut up about these plants LOL

I've never taken FFO dates for clematis (FFO = first flower open). It's a good thought for any of us who aren't bogged down to do it though. I'm just guessing three weeks is average.

Really varies by individual. Group 2's have their main bloom early (on old wood) and will have some additional bloom in late Summer on new wood. 3's will bloom (on new wood) later than 2's and will have one bloom. But there are long blooming 2's and 3's. Not sure you can generalize.

One of my favorite clematis pictures is in the White Flower Farm catalog every year; it's an enormous cauldron with Sweet Autumn Clematis forming a great big ball of white blooms. I saw the cauldron empty on a visit to WFF in late fall 2005. Didn't know what to make of the picture then.

I can echo grandpapa's experience thinking that a clematis was dead after it's first winter then long after hope was gone, it appeared! I think that clematis take root development seriously for a couple of years before putting on a good show above ground.

Had anyone had a successful experience growing clematis up a spruce tree?

No spruce tree. But I had a sweet autumn clematis at my old house. It quickly grew up to my 2nd story deck (about 20 feet) as I hoped and was a monster. I enjoyed it a couple of years then moved 2 miles away. I don't know if it turned into a pest for them.

Some day, when you're least expecting it, you'll look out your window and see that clematis again.