Re: Sweet Autumn Clematis in trouble
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Sweet Autumn Clematis in trouble
- From: Y* C*
- Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 09:39:42 -0700
> Nancy wrote:
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.
****
Nancy,
Don't despair; you might have done your clematis a
favor. I have clematis growing up the tall uprights
supporting my deck. Although I was always careful to
tie them up as they grew, one summer the weight of a
larger plant pulled the whole thing down the upright,
causing the brittle stems to bend and crack at the
bottom. Since the plant quickly started to die off, I
had no choice but to cut it off below the breaks. With
a little TLC from me, it came back beautifully and
even more full than before.
But there's another lesson here. My DH covered the
uprights with wire mesh. I'm not sure what its called,
but it was a pretty small mesh...probably about 1/4
inch. Then we learned that clematis need a larger
mesh, since they climb by wrapping their stems AND
leaves around the support. If the mesh is too small,
the leaves can't wind through, and the stems just keep
growing up the outside (i.e. no support). So we're now
replacing the wire mesh with a substantially larger
mesh - the wires are several inches apart. I like the
wire mesh because it provides very strong support for
heavy plants, yet you can hardly see it in the winter
when the plant has died back. Also, its easy for the
plants to grow up without a lot of coaching, tucking
in ends, etc.
If I were growing a clematis up my garage wall, I
think I'd attach vertical wood strips far enough apart
so that I could staple wire mesh between them, then
paint the whole thing - wire, wood and all - to match
the color of the garage. This would provide a bit of
space behind the wire mesh to give the plant room to
grow in and out and provide very sturdy support.
Your idea sounds lovely. Once you get your support
system figured out, your clematis-covered garage will
be a show-stopper!
Happy Gardening!
Yvonne in MN Zone 4
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