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New Clematis Armandii

LeeMF76LeeMF76 Posts: 8
in Problem solving

Hi, I planted a clematis armandii in Autumn in a South facing garden 12 inches from a wall with small shrubs planted around base.  The clematis was in leaf but quickly lost all these. It is showing no sign of buds.  The soil is clay based. I dug a hole about 18-24 inches deep and similar in width and filled with compost and sprinkled with blood,fish & bone. Perhaps it is concentrating on its root system but i thought i would have seen a bit of life above the surface?

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  • Steve the Gardening VetSteve the Gardening Vet Posts: 1,627

    They do apparently have a habit of unexpectedly snuffing it. Mine is now about twelve feet tall and grows like a weed. I have to hack it back to stop it taking over the world bu our neighbour had one that just turned up its toes one sunny summer's day a couple of years ago.

     

    I guess you just have to wait and see...

  • exegesisexegesis Posts: 22

    I planted one last spring and it took off. Currently it has new shoots, some emerging, others already 4" long. I think it's going to be a brute, but it is going to fill a north-facing fence, so I'm happy. Your plot preparation sounds right, but did you keep it well-watered after planting? 12" from a south-facing wall is a harsh environment for most things; new plants are especially vulnerable, sounds like a lack of moisture to me.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

    No buds? no leaves? on an evergreen plant?

    Sounds final to me image



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • exegesisexegesis Posts: 22

    It seems like it is a goner (per nutcutlet), but I'd give a further chance: cut it back hard: 4" above ground level; keep well-watered even now, because it's not going to get anything from the weather, and give it a good feed in mid-March. If you get nothing by the end of April, conduct last rites.

  • Steve the Gardening VetSteve the Gardening Vet Posts: 1,627

    If you hadn't nailed it to the perch... image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,312

     I would water a plant in at this time of year, to settle the soil around the roots.  but I wouldn't keep anything well watered in winter, (even an ex armandii)



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • LynLyn Posts: 22,889

    I also have one of those, now passed on, late, died, definitely not sleeping completely off the perch. Never had a flower on it, its gone (to be a lumberjack maybe)

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • john colquhounjohn colquhoun Posts: 33

    Could be clematis wilt ??

  • gardenninggrannygardenninggranny Posts: 803

    I think this is one of those plants that either likes where it is or doesn't.  Against the odds I have one on a trellis exposed on all sides...and it thrives, even in our heavy clay soil.  But it is evergreen - never seen it without leaves - and full of buds right now.  I never give up on anything until after several months....or if the stem falls off when I touch it...I would give it a few months to see what happens - after all it wiill be concealed behind the other shrubs you planted there, which could just have taken all the moisture and caused it's downfall?

  • exegesisexegesis Posts: 22

    I think it is unlikely to be clematis wilt, this condition affects the more delicate thinner stemmed deciduous types. Armandii is a bruiser. Much theorising about the dreaded wilt - I've lost any number run out of fingers and toes on which to count but, nil desperandum, I planted another half-dozen last year. My own theory is that the roots take up so much moisture that this pressure ruptures the cells of the new fleshy growth causing the collapse. But there are better brains than mine at the problem and they can't agree; I don't see an external agent though like a virus though.

    Any thoughts out there?

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