Clematis

Caz8

Help, I have a summer flowering clematis about 4years old. Every summer from June - July it grows beautifully loads of flowers and healthy green leaves. Come August black fly attack flowers. I have tried leaving them and letting the ants eat them, no good plant will not flower any more. I have tried killing the black fly with commercial sprays, this just turns the leaves brown. Has anybody any ideas.

sotongeoff

Ants do not eat black fly-they farm aphids for the secretions that the aphids produce.

The spray- if used correctly should not turn the leaves brown-that may be a sign of another unrelated problem.

Caz8

Thank you sotongeoff, have you any other ideas why the leaves go brown and crispy?

sotongeoff

Might be too dry?-a fungal attack?-where exactly is it? -against a wall/fence?

Caz8

A shed

sotongeoff

May be too dry in that case-keep moist and apply a thick mulch-that should help.

 

flowering rose

if you grow nasturtiums next to the clematis ,the black fly should go to them instead,also try  a garlic spray.