Hello. We have a number of Clematis in the garden. They are all quite young, but all very weak. Any tips for growth/strength? Ideal planting conditions? Position in garden?Thanks.
You can look up your clematis on this website - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/ to check you have planted them with their best aspect. It will also tell you when to prune according to its group.
In my experience, all clematis take a year or two to get their feet down before they start producing strong new growth. In addition, some clematis are tender, some bone hardy and many are in between. They all need to be planted deep in well prepared holes a few inches deeper than they were in their pots. Then they need a good watering and generous dollops of clematis food every spring, the correct pruning and their new stems training out to encourage flowering.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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You can look up your clematis on this website - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/ to check you have planted them with their best aspect. It will also tell you when to prune according to its group.
In my experience, all clematis take a year or two to get their feet down before they start producing strong new growth. In addition, some clematis are tender, some bone hardy and many are in between. They all need to be planted deep in well prepared holes a few inches deeper than they were in their pots. Then they need a good watering and generous dollops of clematis food every spring, the correct pruning and their new stems training out to encourage flowering.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Not all groups like to be buried deeply, some of the atragenes and tangutica/orientalis, for example.
Also, it is a myth that they need the roots cool.