When to transplant clemetis
Alison Shillingford
Posts: 8
I have two summer flowering clematis which have just been cut back for the winter. Is it too late to move them or am I best waiting until spring?
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Alison Shillingford
Posts: 8
Alison Shillingford
Posts: 8
Posts
I would mobe them now so they can get their roots established over winter ready fo rthe growth spurt in spring.
Make sure you have their new holes well prepared and that you watre the roots of each plant generously and leave to soak away for at least an hour before digging them up. Dig them out as deeply as you can with as much rrot ball as possible and then plant them at least 4 to 6 inches deeper than they were. This will encourage the formation of new shoots for extra flowering stems next summer.
Adding some well rotted manure and/or garden compost to the new planting hole will help too. Water in well. Next spring, protect the new shoots from slugs and snails by scattering wildlife friendly pellets from Valentine's Day onwards.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Hi Alison, You should really prune clematis in February. However, while it is recommended to move them in early spring, you can move them at this time and need to cut them back to about 2 feet when you do that, so you may as well give it a go. Prepare the new holes first and dig-in plenty of organic matter (home made compost is ideal.) Dig the hole at least 2 feet deep and plant them about 4-6 inches deeper than they are now. Doing that will help protect them from frost. When you dig them out, try to take as much of the existing root system as possible - this is really important for their survival and can be hard work, but it is essential. They will take a year to recover so don't expect them to do much next year. In fact, I would be tempted to remove any flower buds that may appear next spring which will help them to reestablish a good root system.
Thanks for all your help. Thats Saturdays job taken care of!