Re: Sweet Autumn Clematis in trouble
Hello everyone - I live in the New Orleans area and have tried to grow
clematis twice, but without success. Are there special secrets about growing
these beautiful vines? Can you suggest names of a few of the most vigarious
ones for me to try again? Finally - a good mail order source if you can
please - Thank you = Cajun Joe
=============================================================
> 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
> > current article:Hot, Hot, Hot Garden
> > http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/222
> > All garden topics welcome page:
> > http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/3425#top5
> > ----------
> > > 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
