Re: Sweet Autumn Clematis in trouble
Marge - life ain't fair sometimes. I had decided to let the clematis go and
see what happens with it--until about 15 minutes ago. WIth a sudden burst of
resolution and energy, I cut it back (not too severely) because it was
beginning to tumble dowen and the string isn't really good enought. I found a
layer of yellow leaves underneath, and it looks pretty bad now-- but the damage
is done.
As you can imagine, I started out with surgical precision, trying to get those
stems that were coming down and not those that were going up, and ended up
hacking more than I should.
Then I came in and read my e-mail -- and your message.
I am sure you are right and I will keep you posted.
What irony.
Nancy Shlaes deGrazia
Marge Talt wrote:
> Nancy, if you got a reply to this, I missed it....so ignore. If not, best
> to wait until next spring (really early, just as buds are breaking) to
> prune this Clematis. In spring, you can cut it back practically to the
> ground - best just beyond a breaking pair of buds.
>
> If you cut them back hard now they will not bloom and may take exception to
> the treatment and die on you...I did that once and lost one big one. It's
> probably hopeless to cut back only a few stems at this point since they are
> no doubt attached to each other all the way up....
>
> They will climb 15 to 20 feet or more, if permitted ,and get quite woody at
> the base, but can and should be cut back in spring or you end up with this
> incredible tangle of old, dead runners and new growth - a total mess.
>
> I'd just let yours climb the strings - if they reach the end, they will
> twine around each other and arch out. If your string is strong and well
> connected, it ought to hold for this year.
>
> Or, you can get some of that heavy duty green plastic fencing sold at Home
> Despot and other DIY stores and nail it to your garage with a 1x1 wooden
> spacer behind it to hold it out from the garage wall. SA Clematis love to
> climb on this stuff.
>
> Or, you can take your strings down and just let them hit the top of the
> trellis and arch out and down....they won't mind this in the least..and
> then cut them back next year. They will grow on the ground, on shrubs,
> on stumps, on walls, on anything, really...these are pretty tough plants.
> Be aware that they do tend to seed about freely; once you have them, you
> are not going to be without them:-)
>
> I see no problem with 3 plants on a 12 ' wall - they will simply cover it
> and that's probably what you had in mind. You can move these in very early
> spring with no problem. I regularly dig them up from where they put
> themselves and move them or give them away....have even done it as late as
> June, but they don't like getting cut back hard then very much.
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@clark.net
> Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> ----------
> > From: Nancy S. Shlaes <nsshlaes@AMERITECH.NET>
> > Date: Sunday, July 04, 1999 7:39 AM
> >
> > I have 3 beautiful, easy to grow sweet autumn clematis in their second
> > year on a trellis on my garage wall. The trellis is 6 plus feet but the
> > cleamtis wants to keep on going---AND ITS ONLY JULY 1.
> >
> > This week I extended the trellis with sturdy strings held up by nails
> > but foresee trouble ahead. It is just too heavy.
> >
> > Should I:
> > (A) cut in back--and if so, how much
> > (B) cut some of its stems back to the ground -- which is pretty
> > difficult to do with clematis--impossible I think
> > (C) any other suggestions.
> >
> > It is fall blooming and is not yet in bud.
> >
> > Second question. Should I have planted 2 plants instead of three
> > originally on my 12 foot wall, and should I remove one next year?
> > Many thanks for your help, nice people, h=and have a happy
> > Independence day weekend
> >
> > Nancy Shlaes deGrazia
