Help pls! Young clematis main stem snapped...

msqingxiao

Just noticed that a clematis I bought a few weeks ago has its main and only stem snapped, 5cm or so from ground level. I don't know when this happened but the plant is still producing young shoots above. Wonder if I can cut it off from the broken point and try to root it? Or any other way to rescue it? Thanks!

Lizzie27

That is a shame. I think likely that you will lose all the green growth as it looks like some leaves are already going brown and dying.
What you could try, very, very carefully, is to get a couple of wooden icecream sticks, very gently try to straighten that bent section out and splint it using the wooden sticks (one each side) tied together with twine/soft string/ribbon - whatever you've got handy.
It doesn't always work but is worth a try. The idea is to try to maintain the nutrient flow up through the main stem to the leaves.
If it fails, don't give up hope, cut off the main stem above the break and hopefully new shoots appear from the roots.
Is the top tied into the tree behind it? If not, it has probably collapsed under it's own weight, clematis do need supporting well.
Good luck. 

msqingxiao

Lizzie27 said:

That is a shame. I think likely that you will lose all the green growth as it looks like some leaves are already going brown and dying.
What you could try, very, very carefully, is to get a couple of wooden icecream sticks, very gently try to straighten that bent section out and splint it using the wooden sticks (one each side) tied together with twine/soft string/ribbon - whatever you've got handy.
It doesn't always work but is worth a try. The idea is to try to maintain the nutrient flow up through the main stem to the leaves.
If it fails, don't give up hope, cut off the main stem above the break and hopefully new shoots appear from the roots.
Is the top tied into the tree behind it? If not, it has probably collapsed under it's own weight, clematis do need supporting well.
Good luck. 

Thanks Lizzie! The top was not tied and supported perhaps that's why. I only noticed the new growth a few days ago and was just about to put up extra support when I noticed the snapped stem. Will follow your advice and hope for the best!

amancalledgeorge

And unfortunately such instances is why it's worth getting a larger grown specimen so you have a few stems to spare. But good luck, you never know it may resprout from the root. 

Fire

I guess good to pinch out stems when young too, to get more shoots going....  (mental note to self)

msqingxiao

Reporting back... Think my young clematis has survived (after I splinted it as @Lizzie27 suggested) but not thrived (blame the slugs)...



And I've bought a new one as a back up at my local church plant sale (moving it back into the house every night to dodge the slugs):



Can I know how to look after them during winter please? Thanks!

B3

The pot seems small and there isn't much compost in it.

jo4eyes

Clematis are hardy, so should be outside all the time. Their growth will be beginning to die back for winter now anyway, so don’t panic.
As it’s in a pot it’s that which needs protection. Best to stand the pot on something to increase the drainage over the winter. Couple of half bricks or pot feet if you have them. 
Then to prevent frost damage to both the pot & the plants roots you need to wrap the pot for the colder months. Bubble wrap or hessian both work. 

Fairygirl

You need to take all those ties off and tie the stems in properly to a better support, as they grow. The trellis really isn't suitable
The pots need decent soil in them too, and the plants will need adequate food and water as they come into proper growth in spring, up until flowering. The only ones which don't are some of the early ones, which thrive in poorer, drier conditions.

You'll also need to move them into bigger pots as they grow. 
Are they both the same variety? 

msqingxiao

Thanks all!

The old one is Clematis 'Hagley Hybrid', and the new one is 'Arabella'. The new one is actually in a deep pot (about 20cm deep), and I'm not seeing roots poking out yet. 

I've been struggling to learn how to properly grow and support clematis, esp ones of this size.  If someone could pls let me know what's the best type of support for them it'll be much appreciated. 

*Astrantia*

I had a similar thing with one in the ground I accidentally cut it low down 😱 I put compost over it then forgot about it as I thought I’d killed it but it sprouted up in the spring!