Planting, growing and caring for clematis in open ground

Such a wonderful climbing plant as clematis needs proper planting and regular care. After all, it is difficult to grow a seedling, and if it is not maintained correctly, it can easily be destroyed. It is better to buy varietal clematis with large flowers in a nursery, in the form of seedlings ready for planting. Usually this is a low bush with a well-developed root, which is immediately buried in a hole and watered. Perennial plants grow in the same place for a long time, however, it is advisable to insulate them for the winter.

Features of planting clematis

Translated from Greek, “clematis” means climbing plant. These beautiful flowers are grown to decorate garden arches, hedges, balconies, and house facades. In fact, clematis is a herbaceous perennial that belongs to the ranunculaceae family. There are about 300 species of these plants, differing from each other.

Some varieties of clematis have woody stems. In other plant species, young branches grow in the spring and die in the fall. To decorate houses and gardens, shrubby clematis from the liana group, with long curly stems and small or large (more than 5 centimeters) flowers, are grown. Plants grow and rise thanks to special supports.

Clematis are planted using seedlings grown independently from seeds or buying young seedlings (age - 1-2 years).

The purchased sprouts must have a healthy and developed root system, a stem with a height of 5.5 to 20.5 centimeters, on which there are buds. Before the onset of frost, seedlings are planted in the selected area.

If there was no time to plant a bush in the fall, it is kept in a cold room until spring. The roots are sprinkled with slightly moist soil, with the addition of sawdust and sand, and the growing young shoots are constantly pinched. In the spring, the shrub is transplanted into its place, into a dug hole, and sprinkled with fertilized soil above the root collar.

How to choose planting material?

There are many varieties of clematis. Planting material is purchased depending on the region of residence and personal preferences. For the northern and western regions, early varieties are chosen (Victoria, Serebryany Rucheyok), which bloom on branches grown in spring and summer.

In southern latitudes, varieties of clematis (Florida, Lanuginosa) are planted, which bloom on the stems of the previous and new year.

Clematis are divided into 3 groups. The first (A) includes plants that bloom on last year's branches. Group B includes shrubs that are capable of blooming on last year’s and young stems. Plants of group C bloom only on shoots that grow in early spring or summer.

Group A includes the following varieties:

• alpine (Artagena Franki, Albina Plena) - vines with a long stem (up to 3.5 meters) and with bluish flowers, blooming from May to August;
• flowery (Baby, Joan of Arc) - a woody vine with a stem over 3 meters and large flowers of light shades;
• mountain (Rubens, Montana Grandiflora) - a vine plant with a stem up to 9 meters, small leaves, medium-sized flowers of white, pink, red shades.

Group B and varieties:

• woolly (Madame le Coultre, Lawsonia) - a shrub plant with a stem 2.5-3 meters in length, large flowers of white, bluish, pinkish shades;
• spreading (Multi Blue, Joan Picton) - a shrub with a stem up to 3 meters high, large flowers of white or dark blue (in spring and early summer it blooms on old branches, in the second half of summer and autumn it blooms on young stems).

Group C and varieties:

• Jacquemant (Rouge Cardinal, Star of India) - plant stems reach 3-6 meters, flowers of various shades, with a diameter of 8 to 20 centimeters, flowering occurs in the second decade of summer;
• purple (Ville de Lyon, Viola) - clematis with a stem 3.5 meters long, purple flowers from 12 to 22 centimeters in diameter, blooming from July to September;
• whole-leaved (Durana, Värava) - a subshrub that does not cling to support, with a low stem (up to 2 meters) and bell-shaped flowers of various shades, blooming from July to October.

Selection and preparation of the optimal landing site

Plants are usually planted in late spring or early autumn. A young seedling purchased in a container can be planted at any time (except winter). Clematis are light-loving, their stems can break from strong winds, and the bushes do not like sour and salty soil. In wetlands, plant roots rot.

Where is the best place to plant clematis?

These plants love sunlight, so they bloom poorly in shaded areas. True, in the southern regions it is advisable to plant clematis in partial shade so that the flowers do not suffer from heat and overheating. If several vine crops are planted on a site, then there should be a distance of up to one meter between adjacent stems.

It is advisable to plant clematis in places protected from drafts and winds. Too strong gusts of wind can break the fragile long stems of these plants. True, clematis grow reluctantly in the lowlands. Although these shrubs love abundant watering, they rot in wetlands. It is advisable to plant clematis near houses so that water flowing from the roof does not drown their roots.

Preparing the soil and planting hole

The plant prefers soil rich in rotted humus and minerals (loams, sandy loam soil). The soil must have drainage, be loose, slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. These shrubs can grow in one place for almost twenty years.

A small hole for planting is dug - 60-70 centimeters deep and wide. The excavated soil is carefully cleared of weeds, 5 kilograms of rotted humus, half a bucket of sand and peat, 200 grams of bone meal, 25 grams of superphosphate, potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate are added to it.

Clematis does not like too many nutrients. Fertilizers need to be applied in small portions. If the soil is acidic, add 200 grams of wood ash, lime or dolomite flour. Drainage (crushed stone, perlite) must be placed at the bottom of the planting hole.

How to prepare seedlings?

It is advisable to plant young annual or biennial plants. The seedlings must be healthy and have roots ten centimeters long. There should be vegetative buds on the stem, and at least one shoot when planting in spring. Before planting, the roots are immersed in a Heteroauxin solution for a couple of hours.

Favorable landing time

Clematis is planted based on the climatic characteristics of a particular region. In the spring, plants are planted in areas with a cold climate, because in the case of autumn planting, seedlings may freeze in winter and not survive until next spring.

in spring

Spring planting is carried out in northern latitudes. Clematis are planted from April to May. Before planting, a hole is prepared for the seedling, the soil is fertilized, and a support is dug in. The root neck of a young seedling is immersed ten centimeters into the ground.

In summer

In the Middle Zone, seedlings can be planted in the summer.Plants are buried in a shallow hole, sprinkled with fertilized soil and watered with water. Summer planting is usually done by summer residents who did not have time to buy seedlings in the spring.

in autumn

Autumn planting is desirable for southern latitudes. Plants are planted from September to November. The seedling must have developed vegetative buds. Before planting, dig a hole and place the plant there. The roots are deeply covered with soil, and the soil on top is mulched with dry grass or sawdust, lutrasil.

In spring, the plant is opened and excess soil is removed so that clematis can grow and develop normally.

Planting process

A rigid support is installed in the center of the hole and sprinkled with earth. Then the plant is immersed on a mound made of earth and its roots are straightened downwards on the sides. The root buds are sprinkled with soil ten centimeters from above. This is the only way the plant will “bush.” The older the seedling, the deeper it is immersed in the hole.

The root collar of adult bushes is buried 18 centimeters. The lower buds should be well covered with soil. After planting, a bucket of water is poured under the root, and the ground around is mulched with peat or dry sawdust.

The nuances of planting clematis seeds

Clematis, if desired, can be propagated by seeds. You can first grow seedlings and transfer them to the garden in the spring. Manchurian, Tangut varieties and clematis Helios are grown by seeds. Plants with large flowers do not reproduce by seeds.

Some types of shrubs are planted directly into the garden bed.

Directly into open ground

Clematis seeds are sown in spring on specially fertilized soil. Then the ground is watered. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator. The first shoots appear after 3 months.All this time, the land where the seeds are sown must be regularly irrigated and ensure that the soil does not dry out.

Seedlings

Seeds for seedlings, depending on the selected variety, are sown from December to March. Seed material can be large, medium and small. Large seeds germinate from 1.5 to 8 (or more) months. These include clematis Jacquemman and Durand. Medium-sized seeds “break through” over a period of 1.5 to 6 months (Chinese, Manchurian, six-petalled). Plants with small seeds germinate in 2 weeks, maximum in 4 months (Tangut, grape-leaved).

Seeds collected this year germinate best. This seed has a shelf life of 4 years (when stored in paper bags at room temperature). Large seeds are sown immediately after collection at the very beginning of winter. Average - after the new year (in February). Small seeds - in March (until April).

To speed up growth, seeds are soaked for a day in a stimulating solution before planting. Shallow plastic or wooden boxes and clay pots are suitable for growing seedlings. The prepared soil mixture, consisting of garden soil, leaf soil, peat, sand and various mineral additives (potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus), is poured into the washed containers. Seeds are sown in shallow, moistened grooves, sprinkled with soil, slightly moistened and covered with film or glass.

The room itself should be 22 degrees Celsius. While the seeds are sitting in the ground, the ground should be lightly irrigated with water.

When seedlings appear, they are provided with sufficient lighting. Daylight hours should last about 12 hours. When the seedlings have two leaves, they are picked, that is, transplanted from one container to another.In separate cups, the seedlings grow until the night frosts subside and the air outside warms up to 10 degrees Celsius. In mid-May, the seedlings that have grown over the winter are transferred to a permanent place.

Key points for caring for clematis after planting

With proper care, clematis grows in the chosen direction and blooms profusely. Even at the time of planting, you need to do pruning. One or two main shoots are left on the stem, coming from below. When the plant begins to grow, some of the branches are cut off. Regulatory pruning is done in the summer. From time to time the branches are pinched.

Watering

At the very beginning of spring, the bushes are topped with milk of lime. 200 grams of lime are diluted in ten liters of water. In hot weather, clematis are regularly topped up with soft, settled water. Twice a week, young bushes need 10.5 to 20 liters of water at the root; old bushes need 30-40 liters of liquid at a time. If the summer is not very hot, the bush is watered only once a week.

Support for clematis

For normal growth, development, and long-term flowering, it is advisable to choose a suitable support for the vine. It must be reliable and strong to support the weight of overgrown plants. You can use galvanized pipes, bamboo fences, various fences, wooden or metal gratings, nylon or iron mesh stretched over a frame.

Forsythia or weigela bushes can become supports for flowers. Traditionally, arches and screens are used for the growth of clematis. The supports themselves can be stationary or removable, that is, retractable for the winter.

Loosening and mulching the soil

After rain or watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil around the bush to destroy the soil crust and improve gas exchange. It is advisable to mulch the soil around clematis.Mulch retains moisture in the soil and prevents weeds from growing. The soil is usually mulched with peat, dry grass, and sawdust.

Weed removal

While loosening the soil, it is advisable to remove weeds. They take nutrients from the bush. Weeds are pulled out of the ground without touching the clematis roots.

Reproduction

The plant is usually propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush, layering, and pinning young branches. The bush is divided if the clematis is no more than 5 years old. It is difficult to remove an older plant from the ground. The young bush is carefully dug up, then its roots are cleared of soil and divided into a couple of parts with pruning shears. Each such particle must have shoots with buds.

Plant layering is done in the fall. The leaves are removed from the young branch, bent downwards, and sprinkled with earth, leaving only the top. For the winter, the stalk is covered with peat, sand, dry bark, and sawdust. In the spring, all the mulch is removed, and the cuttings are watered with water containing fertilizers diluted in it. By autumn, the young plant will have time to grow and take root. It can be cut off from the mother clematis and transferred to a permanent place.

In spring, it is advisable to use the pinning method. Last year's branches are pinned at the site of the knot into pots dug nearby, in which soil is poured. Such containers are buried slightly into the soil so that during watering, water flows to the roots. As they develop and grow, the seedlings are covered with soil. By autumn, the seedlings grow up, then they are transferred to a permanent place.

Fertilizer application

Shrubs are fertilized 3-4 times per season. Fertilizers are applied after watering. It is advisable to alternate mineral and organic fertilizers. An interval of 2-3 weeks is maintained between applying fertilizers. In the spring, clematis is fertilized with chicken droppings dissolved in water or rotted mullein.Instead of organic matter, the bush can be watered with a urea solution (25 grams per ten liters of water).

Before flowering, the plant is fertilized with superphosphate and potassium sulfate (15 grams per five liters of water). When the flowers bloom, clematis is not fed. In the summer, once a month, the bush is topped up with a weak solution of boric acid or potassium permanganate (2 grams per ten liters). For feeding through leaves use fertilizers Aquarin or Mortar floral.

It is not recommended to fertilize clematis in autumn. During this period, the vine is preparing for winter. At the end of September, the bush is sprinkled with earth mixed with sand, peat, wood ash, removed from the fence and insulated.

How to help clematis grow

In order for the vines to grow properly, their stems are directed and tied to a support in the spring. If this is not done, the regrown shoots will intertwine or crawl in the other direction and cannot be untangled. In summer, clematis stems twine around the supports on their own. True, some varieties need to be tied up all summer during their growth period, since the plants themselves do not know how to twine.

In order to improve flowering, clematis needs to be pruned regularly. In plants of groups A and B, weak and dry shoots are cut off in the spring. After flowering ends in the fall, cut off the upper part of last year's stems. In clematis from group C, before wintering, all young branches that have grown during the season are removed, leaving a low stump with several buds.

Diseases and pests to which clematis is susceptible

The plant may become sick and be attacked by insects. Pests of clematis: leaf and root-knot nematodes. The plant is susceptible to the following diseases: gray rot, powdery mildew, rust, verticillium wilt, ascochyta blight.

Clematis often suffers from wilting. The bush dries out, its leaves lose their elasticity, turn yellow and wither. The causative agents of the disease are fungi that live in the soil. In the spring, at the first signs of disease, a solution of Fundazol or Azocene is poured under the root. The same drugs are suitable for combating gray rot and powdery mildew. To prevent rust, the leaves are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride. A solution of copper sulfate helps against ascochyta. To control pests, insecticides and nematicides are used (Fitoverm, Aktofit, Marshall, Alanicarb).

Preventive measures to protect clematis:

• every season the ground around the plants is irrigated with a solution of copper sulfate;
• to prevent the soil from being acidic, it is watered with a solution of lime;
• Before applying fertilizing, the bush is watered abundantly;
• to protect the roots of clematis from overheating, a lawn or low flowers are planted around it;
• during active growth, fungicides are used to combat fungal diseases (the leaves and flowers are sprayed with them in the evening, in cloudy but not rainy weather).

Before wintering, it is advisable to insulate the plant so that it does not freeze and die. The stems are treated with a solution of copper sulfate and piled high with earth with sand and ash. For the winter, diseased shoots of plants are cut off, the vine itself is removed from its support, rolled up and placed near the stem on the base. Cover the top with dry twigs, spruce branches, and then with waterproof material. In spring, the plant is opened and tied to a support.