Clematis (Lady Diana) dying off at the base

Vivien

This is third year in a row that this Clematis has started off well but as soon as it starts flowering it also starts dying off near the base. It is in a deep pot but just wondering if it's maybe too hot at the base. Also, just as a matter of interest, I often see this advertised as an Autumn flowering plant but mine flowers in June!!

K67

Usually a sign of lack of water especially as you have it in a pot. I assume  you have it in a large pot at least 45cm wide and deep and prune as group 3 and feed it.

Obelixx

In my experience this is a vigorous clematis that gets bigger than its advertised 2 to 2.5 metres.  In my last garden she flowered from mid June thru to September and longer in a good autumn but she did need lots of water and a generous feed every spring.

As yours is in a pot I suspect she's just thirsty so give her a good 10 litres or so now and make sure the pot is watered every day in hot weather and every other day in a normal summer.  As she's in a pot she'll also benefit form some liquid tomato food once every week or so from now until mid September to maintain flowering vigour.

Next spring, cut all stems down to the base or the lowest pairs of buds if you prefer.  Water well, refresh the top of the compost and apply a slow release clematis food.  Start weekly watering until the weather warms up and she needs more to keep her growing.

Fairygirl

Have you ever refreshed the soil it's growing in? In addition to the water [very important - it needs a lot of moisture to support all the top growth ] it won't keep growing in a medium that's unsuitable.  Compost alone won't be enough.  If it's staying in a pot, it needs more sustenance. 
The rootball will also get bigger, and there will be less and less soil in the pot after a year or two.  Are you pruning it back early in the year?

I'd remove that dead, frazzled stem too  

Vivien

I repotted the first year after this happened and cut it right back early on but sounds like needs more food and water. Thanks for advice everyone.

Richard Hodson

Your Princess Diana looks good to me, it is normal for some of the texensis clematis to lose some of their basal foliage, they just concentrate on flowering and setting seed.  Yes, take off the brown dried up bottom leaves and keep well watered.  A good idea is to plant some bedding plants in the pot, they will tell you when the compost is dry and also hide some of the brown stems.