Our Betty Corning is in the second year and budding like mad. However, she looks a bit spindly. Should we be disbudding to encourage plant growth?
Disbudding?
"Betty Corning" is a very vigorous and large viticella, which is pruning group 3. I would cut her back hard in late winter/very early Spring, otherwise you will sacrifice her beautiful blooms.
By disbudding are you talking about removing the flowerbuds or seedheads?
Flower buds, Jeanne. It seems to be producing a lot of flowers for its size (that's coming from a newbie to clematis) and the leaves are quite small. I was wondering if we could thin the buds out so the plant will grow. I suppose the same could be said for seedheads? Does the plant put energy into those, too? I'm also pretty ignorant of seed production! :-)
Kathleen
I thought that is just what you meant but wanted to ask to be sure..Heck no I wouldn't remove any flowerbuds..Like Shirley said she is a pruning group 3
http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=562
I think you have a long growing season like me and with my viticella's ..after they finish their first bloom period..I hard prune again and give them fertilizer and they'll grow up again and bloom for me...your gonna love that clematis....Jeanne
No kidding, cut it back now? How far, Jeanne?
Boy, so much to learn!
NO!!..Don't cut it now...let the bloom period finish (unless it already has..I just repruned "Etoile Violette","Mme Julia Correvon" ,one of my "Huldine's" ,"Barbara Harrington" and "Ville de Lyon") and when it stops blooming..then you prune it..I count up to the 3rd leaf axil from the soil and prune an inch above that..and fertilize..water it well before and after fertilizing...Jeanne
Sorry, Jeanne, when you said 'their first bloom period,' I thought that's what I just experienced, because there are no more buds right now. I don't mean to be thick, but these terms can be interpreted different ways. This my first time with clematis blooms, so I have to learn the lingo. I thought you only pruned type 3 in late winter/early spring.
So, how do I know the end of the 'first bloom period?'
Ok..if there are no more buds or blooms left then your first "bloom cycle" is over and you can prune refertilize and water and let her grow and bloom again..you aren't thick..LOL..I just didn't realize yours had finished blooming cause you mentioned disbudding the plant...go for it..Jeanne
Whew! Glad I finally got it right! I'll have to do it while the DH is out - he thinks you just plant something and leave it alone! :-)
Men!!..LOL..what can ya say..tee hee..have fun
That is good to know, about Etoile Rose. Jeanne...mine are blooming more than they ever had..so if I prune them, after they finish blooming, they will bloom again? Cool, thanks for increasing my knowledge too...
I need to move my Etoiles, do I do that in the fall, like I would my roses??
This message was edited May 17, 2007 10:32 AM
Melva..I would wait till fall to move them...unless you are anal like me and can stay ontop of keeping them moist....I've moved at this time of the year and been successful but for most people I tell them fall while it's cooler so there isn't much stress from the hot sun..Yes..just fertilize again after pruning and water well and they will regrow up and bloom again..I'm getting ready to reprune "Tie Dye" and "Solina" any day..they are almost finished blooming...Jeanne