I have one that never grew up last year. This year it is still only 1/2 inch tall. Dug it up and put in a pot with miracle grow soil (which is great my pansies are going bananas :) ) still refuses to move. It is very green but frustrating as we are constantly wondering when it is going to catch up to the others that are already blooming. Will appreciate any help
ASAO clematis
Jocali, what type of exposure does your clematis receive? Is it getting too much sun, by chance? I planted my Asao in September of 2005 -- a rabbit hard pruned it over the following winter. It really took off the following spring.
Here's a photo from last May:
And another. This year the vine made it to the top of the obelisk. I believe the rabbit did me a favor when he pruned it -- I might not have had the nerve to do so.
Figaro, Your Asao is breathtaking. I purchased mine this year from Debbie at Silver Star. Can't wait till next year's growth.
Arlene
Arlene, thanks for your compliment. I noticed a couple of the flowers were doubles.
I just received my first order from Debbie yesterday. The vines look very healthy. She has a great selection!
OMG your clematis is striking!!! LOVE it!!!!
Dawn, thanks so much!
I planted this clematis in the fall of 2005. I really didn't expect to see this many blooms. It must be happy with its location. It gets good morning to mid-day sun, but no scorching afternoon sun. And the roots are well-shaded by neighboring perennials.
Absolutely stunning clematis. Wow!!! Maybe I should invite more rabbits into my yard.
I have had problems with them this year, but the results for you are wonderful.
Must go order one of these. Beautiful.
Strell, thank you!
Although I hate to admit it -- the rabbit actually did good. I was devastated to see the damage he had done. So I immediately put a strip of chicken wire around the base of the obelisk. But the rabbit prune job resulted in six shoots emerging from the ground early that spring. I was able to train the vines to cover the obelisk.
Beautiful!!!!! How tall is your obelisk? Is it copper?
Debbie
Hi Debbie, thanks.
Yes, the obelisk is made of copper and has verdigris support rings and a little brass finial on top. After mounting, it stands about 5 1/2 feet above ground. I got it from Gardeners Supply 2 years ago.
Hi, Figaro, how did you attach chicken wire to the base. Do you mean around it???
I bought hardware cloth, but it has quite a "memory" and is hard to work with. Do you let the vines grow thru the wire or just inside. I never had this issue before this year and I'm really upset. Most clematis have been pruned, at least the new ones.
They didn't seem to both the older vines from previous years except Sweet Autumn.
I wonder if the the lack of rain in this area has made them eat juicy stuff!!!! I'm loath to plant more and I have quite a few to plant. Maybe I can overwinter in a container. I'm in Upstate New York. Lots of snow, but it would be a blanket for them.
Hi Strell, I had lots of trouble with rabbits before I fenced in my back yard. Hardware cloth is a lot more attractive but I don't find it as flexible as chicken wire. I cut a strip of chicken wire about a foot high and just wrapped it around the base of the obelisk. For my other clematis vines on trellises I would just wrap the chicken wire around the base of the plant. I fastened the chicken wire to the ground with ground staples -- I make my own from heavy gage wire. Before my yard was fenced in I had chicken wire around so many plants -- you would not believe how much chicken wire was in my garden. Along with my other many garden tasks, it took me 3 weeks to remove all of the chicken wire once the fence was in place!
The front yard is yet another story. I try to plant things there that the rabbits don't like. However, I still put cages around all my lilies! The rabbits love to eat the lilies!
Good luck. But don't give up. Get a roll of chicken wire and you will win the battle. It's a good idea to protect any small deciduous shrubs during the winter, such as burning bush and spirea.
Thanks, Figaro, I have a fence on two sides(no ours) so we're kinda fenced in, but my neighbor put up a shed last year, and the rabbits are nesting under the darn thing. So now I have rabbits thanks to him. More than ever. This year Clematis are truly a problem. I gave up on Lilies as much as I love them. I had stalks and nothing else. Have you tried those garlic clips from Gardener's Supply. They seem to work good on vines and roses so far. Burning bush is the only shrub I have that the rabbits can go to town on. I don't care for this shrub, and they adore it. So munch away little rabbits, but stay away from the Clematis. Our snow level gets so high here in the winter, they can gurdle large shrubs and trees almost half way up the trunks. Amazing!!! Have a Heart Traps work good too, Mmmmm, what can I bait it with and then drive the little hunny bunny down the road to the woods!!!????
Hi Strell, I haven't tried the garlic clips. Coyote and Fox Urine didn't work for me. I've had the best success with Liquid Fence, but you have to reapply it after a good rain. That Plantskyyd stuff was disgusting. Never again. One summer I caught a young rabbit (just happened to have my gardening gloves on!) I quickly placed him in a styrofoam cooler, put him in the trunk of the car, and drove him out to the nearest forest preserve! Of course, he was just as quickly replaced by others!
Interesting, Figaro, I heard Plantskyd was wonderful. Liquid Fence it is . Yeah, there always more rabbits when one is removed. Chipmunks too, they are frisky little monsters.
Love animals but not in the garden. Garlic clips, fish emulsion, and people think you are a great cook!!! Try it.
My bad experience with Plantskyyd is that it leaves a dark residue on your plants which they say will eventually wash away. It was horribly nasty to mix -- I used the powder formula. It's blood-based and attracts mosquitoes. When I tried it last summer it clogged my tank sprayer. While I was cleaning the tank sprayer I received several mosquito bites. I later had to trash the tank sprayer. I went back to Liquid Fence.
I, too, love the animals but not in the garden.
Liquid Fence it is or garlic clips or chicken wire or whatever works. We work too hard to have these critters feast on our beauty. I'm always looking for idea to rid myself of em.
Thanks for the info
Strell, you're welcome.
You're so right! We work very hard in our gardens, investing time and money. Who needs destruction from an unwanted guest!
AMEN, but we get em anyway. I just planted three new Clematis and put chicken wire around them. It looks awful, but it will get covered up. Better than no blooms at all.
Clematis are the best in so many ways. I 've learned alot from reading this forum.