Clematis Browning
lilly3
Posts: 52
Bought a clematis recently and planted according to instructions. Roots kept cool under tiles. I don't know variety but it is late flowering. A few days ago I noticed the base leaves had gone brown and dried 6 - 8 inches up the stems. Further up there is patchy red/brown mottling but the rest of the plant seems healthy and is growing. Is this clematis wilt or something else? And can anyone tell me what to do please?
0
Posts
Not clematis wilt, why does everyone mention wilt when talking about clematis ?
It is because the roots are too dry, throw the tiles away from off the roots, they harbour slugs and prevent water getting In.
Well I mentioned Clematis wilt because there has been many posts about it and it seems a common problem,.... but what do I know! The soil around the plant is quite moist so I don't think dryness is the problem. As for the tiles, they are small allowing water in. I understood the roots were best kept cool.
Wilt is a common worry, but the instances of it are far rarer than the questions about it..
As much as anything, if the plant is getting enough water (and they need a LOT of it until established) then it is probably just suffering from being unpotted and planted out.
Better to mulch with something organic to provide shade than to use tiles.
Thanks for advice. Tiles now removed, mulch applied and fingers crossed.
Hope it grows for you.
Even if you think the soil is moist, clematis are very hungry, thirsty plants so water regularly and add a bit of tomato food. It can take a year or two for them to settle in and send their roots out and down deep enough to get all the water they need by themselves and it will need a generous dose of slow release clematis feed in spring to keep it growing and flowering at its best.
Great plants so good luck.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
hi I was having problems similar to you leaves going brown with new plants make sure you water them well keep them moist while roots settle in and spray leaves with seaweed feed it get into the plant quicker while it settles happy gardening x
When planting a late flowering variety of clematis it is advisable to firstly stand the plant in a bucket of cold water for a couple of hours, then to plant the clematis 3 or 4 inches deeper than it is in the pot, then water the area round the plant thoroughly.
The saying about keeping the roots cool is not correct, it is moisture they need not cool temperatures.
( I hope the plant we are discussing is a 2 year old plant in a 2 litre deep pot )