What's wrong with my clematis?

Jiff_fi

Anyone know what's wrong with my clematis? We bought and planted it in a fairly shady spot about 2 weeks ago and moved it yesterday to a sunny spot. I gave it tomato feed this week. Its planted quite deep in multipurpose compost but we've not got any slate on the soil yet. 

Dovefromabove

Hi @Jiff_fi and welcome to the forum. 

What’s the variety of your clematis? 

I can’t see how big the container is but I doubt if it’s big enough ... and it’s only half full of compost anyway. 

Multipurpose compost is ok for bedding plants for one season but it really isn’t suitable for longer term planting. I would use John Innes No 3 loambased compost with the addition of some MPC in the proportions of 3:1. 

Climbers need plenty of water for the roots to push up into the climbing growth. 

I would move it out of the very sunny spot and repot it in a bigger container and compost as above. Wait until it’s doing much better before moving it back, and then give it plenty of water ... probably every day in the summer. 

 

If the withered shoots don’t recover I’d cut them back. 

debs64

I would agree with @Dovefromabove but be aware not all clematis will thrive in containers and it may be happier in the ground if that is an option. I grow many plants in pots but climbers in general are my Achilles heel. I now stick to annual climbers only. 

Fairygirl

Yep - that's not going to be happy there for long
It's important to know what variety you have, or at least the 'type' as that dictates the care. The bigger flowered Group 2 and 3s need planting a bit deeper to encourage new shoots from below ground. That's likely to be a Group 2 as it's flowering now, and judging by the flower size. It'll need a lot more growing medium, and as @Dovefromabove says, it needs to be soil based. 
Some clems are suited to pot growing, but that's why it's important to know what you have. There looks like a label in the pot - can you take a look?

Please don't put slate on it either. Just encourages slugs. If you want to mulch, use more compost or fine gravel. 

Jiff_fi

Here's the care label. Its a Niobe 

Fairygirl

I was thinking it might be Niobe. Mine is about ten days away from flowering
It needs to be in the ground 

amancalledgeorge

Yep and to Aldi's credit the instructions are for planting in the ground. 

Fairygirl

I'd agree @amancalledgeorge - good instructions on the label 

If you can't plant it in the ground, you'll need to build a really big container for it. 

Jiff_fi

OK we moved it that day, put it in the ground in a shadier spot and I chopped off the sad stem. It now looks like this...it's really sad! I'm not inclined to think that it's frost because I've got another one a different colour on the same side of the garden. Have I got any chance with this? I remember my other one taking a while to settle...

Fairygirl

I'd cut that right back and water it thoroughly. Then give it some time. 
It'll be struggling to maintain the top growth. 

Jiff_fi

cut back now? Should I expect anything from it this year?