I'm involved in a clematis coop and mentioned that I would buy a few even though I always kill them. A few folks have now told me that when planting the clematis, it should be planted 2-6" deeper than it was in the pot. I've been researching on the internet and this seems quite standard-I've never heard of this. I'm just wondering if you clematis experts have any other words of wisdom for me when it comes to planting-I will be planting 2 clematis on an arbor with climbing roses this spring. The site is pretty full sun and I'm in zone 4. The soil is on the clayey side but has been amended with compost. Any advice is appreciated-
Thanks!
Deb
How do YOU plant clematis?
Shirley and Jeanne will show up, I'm sure, to help you out.
Yeah I plant several inches deeper than the pot level - need a couple of buds below the surface - then if anything happens to the upper part like it gets broken off you still have something that will grow! I have actually had this happen and since it was a clematis that was a bit hard to find in addition to being a gift I was sure glad I planted that way.
Shirley and Jeanne are the experts, and hopefully they'll be along to comment soon. In the meantime, here is the advice I got from Debbie at Silver Star Vinery when I ordered my Clematis:
"The best things I can tell you is to have your holes ready when the plants get there. Dig million dollar holes that are deep and wide and backfill with some good cow poo in a bag, peat moss,compost or what ever you have to enrich the soil. The when you plant the clematis spread their roots down and out so they are headed down. Next most important thing is water well when you plant but don't over water the clematis by watering it everyday. Water deeply then let the soil dry out. If you water everyday you only water the top few inches and you will rot the crown of the plant (where the stems come up from the roots). Then pruning each spring. You have one of each group. Florida Sieboldii is a type 3 that you prune hard. Crystal Fountain is a type 2 which you light prune after it flowers. But you will treat it like a type 3 for at least the following spring to make the roots bigger and stronger as well as to make the branching start low on the plant. Each time you cut a vine you turn it into two vines as well as cause new shoots to come from below. "
Hope that helps!
I would not put peatmoss in the planting hole...and you need to make sure your cow poo is composted cowmanure or you'll burn the roots of your plant and kill your clematis
This message was edited Mar 25, 2008 11:23 AM
I expect that's what she meant by "cow poo in a bag."
Thank you, all. I'm about ready to order a couple from Silver Star Vinery and give it a go one more time . . .
All the above information is excellent, but here is an additional link to help you. http://clematis.org/learn/page/basics
And Deb, since you are in the same zone ( I live in Minnetonka, not far from Minneapolis), I can share with you the words of wisdom from Debbie from the Silver Star clematis nursery, - namely, that for zone 4a, I'd want to stick with clematis from pruning group 3 or integrifloras, and that other types of clematis don't do so well in our zone, at least in her experience.
Liz
By the way, Deb, is the clematis coop one of the DG coops? I was looking through the coop lists there but didn't find any for clematis?
No, it's on the Yahoo coop group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BnPCo-opBuying/ ). I've really kind of gone overboard this spring with all the coops between here and there. The Yahoo group coop has quite a few (15) named varieties of clematis in 2 1/2 in pots for $4 each. The group "owner", Pam actually started out here at Dave's-it's a good group (and very busy).
I dig a hole at least 18" deep and wide, sometimes more. I mix compost, manure, and a handful of bone meal, plus the soil that came from the top 4-5 inches of the hole. I have good soil so I can use it. I usually mix this in a wheel barrow. If I'm too lazy to wheel the wheel barrow to the spot I'm planting at, I just layer it in the hole.
I put half of the mix in the hole and water. wait till the water is gone, then add the rest of the soil and water again. Then plant the clematis up to the stems. I then mulch with a mixture of straw and shredded leaves. I have loads of maple trees, so have lots of leaves to use.
Hey Deb, If you got clematis from the coop in 2.5" pot it'd be best to pot them up in gallan containers and let them grow this season in the pot so they can establish a good root system. Keeping them pruned back and not letting them flower will also help. Then this fall plant them with you roses deeper than they were in your gallan pots, at a 45* angle toward your rose it you want it to climb on it.
If your getting some from Debbie too, they're ready to rock-n-roll!!
Debbie
Thank you, all! I may get a few more from Debbie to put with the roses this spring-I can "practice" on the coop ones, but I want the arbor plants to take right off. The photos of her plants look so healthy and nice . . .
I followed the advice of the "Wise Ones" here and put my 2" babies in 1 gal pots to grow before I put them in the ground last fall, each deep in their own little lasagne bed. Some of them had roots coming out of the bottoms of the pots when I transplanted them.
It's now spring here and all of them are coming up just fine, some with 2-3 vines, and some with blossoms already. I'm a happy camper!! :))
Thank you, Oh Wise Ones! (bowing, bowing)
I am new !!! Can someone please tell me how and what a co-op is.???? I got on the Yahoo site but still don't know how it works. Thanks so much,
jana
Jana, if you go to the Yahoo group and click on files (in the left side menu) there are some really good tutorials on how things work there. A coop is just a group purchase of something-a group can buy a larger quantity and get much better prices on many items than an individual. The coops here at DG are very good-I would recommend trying one here before attempting the Yahoo group just to get a feel for it.
Deb
And I'd add to always check the feedback on the person doing the co-op. There's huge disappointments to be had when the wrong person does them.