Preparing clematis for the winter, when to prune and how to cover

It is advisable to insulate clematis for the winter, otherwise these plants will die from frost. Before covering, the vines are pruned and their stems are treated with disinfectants. Clematis are insulated with hilling, dry branches and artificial moisture-proof materials. Plants are afraid of severe frosts, but if they are not insulated for the weather, they can wither and rot.

Stages of preparing clematis for winter

Clematis are heat-loving vines that bloom in summer. In autumn, with the arrival of cold weather, their life processes slow down. Clematis are preparing for winter hibernation. However, plants cannot do without human help. After all, these vines come from warm climate zones, and in frosty winter conditions they can freeze and die.

Stages of preparation for winter cold:

• pruning according to variety or group;
• processing of stems and soil;
• insulation of shoots.

Depending on the variety or group, plant branches are trimmed by 10-20 centimeters or completely cut off, leaving stumps 20-30 centimeters high at the surface of the ground. Pruning is carried out from October to November.

Having cut off all unnecessary stems, the remaining branches are removed from the support, carefully twisted and laid near the root on the ground on a litter.

If in winter the air temperature drops below 5 degrees below zero, clematis need to be covered from above. Plants from which all shoots are completely cut off are also insulated before the onset of winter cold.

Before covering clematis, bushes and the ground around them, it is advisable to treat them with a solution of Fundazol (20 grams per 10 liters of water).The stem itself must be sprinkled high with soil mixed with sand, peat and wood ash. Then the clematis is insulated with mulch and waterproof material.

Pruning clematis for the winter depending on the group

Plants are divided into 3 groups. Each type of clematis needs pruning before wintering. The branches need to be trimmed correctly. After all, the full development of vines and abundant flowering in the next season depend on this.

Pruning can be sanitary, formative and winter. Sanitation is the removal of dry and diseased branches from a healthy main stem. Formative - pruning excess shoots in order to improve development and prolong flowering. Winter pruning is carried out in order to prepare clematis for winter and protect it from frost.

In September, they begin to slowly remove dried leaves from the stems, since they do not fall off on their own. After removing the leaves, the clematis branches are trimmed. Pruning is carried out at the end of October and beginning of November, in dry, windless weather.

Pruning clematis of the first group for the winter

Clematis of this variety bloom only on the shoots of the previous year. Minimal pruning is recommended for them. The upper branches of the vine are slightly shortened by 20 centimeters. The length of the stems is adjusted depending on the support to which they are attached. It is important to preserve old shoots, because they will bloom next season. When pruning for the winter, remove weak and dried stems.

Pruning clematis of the second group for the winter

Clematis of this species bloom on old shoots at the beginning of summer, and on young shoots in late summer. Medium pruning is recommended for them. Old branches are slightly shortened at a distance of 150 centimeters from the ground, young branches are not touched at all.More intensive pruning, aimed at rejuvenating the plant, is carried out every 5 years.

If the bush is only one year old, then before winter its stem, which has grown over the summer, is greatly shortened, leaving a stem 30 centimeters long above the surface of the ground.

Pruning clematis of the third group for the winter

Clematis of this group bloom at the very end of summer, on young branches that have grown in the current season. Before wintering, all stems of the plant are completely cut off. Only low stems (30 centimeters above the ground) with three pairs of buds are left.

Universal pruning of clematis

If gardeners cannot determine which group their clematis belong to, universal pruning is recommended. In the first year of life, all types of vines are pruned in the same way - the grown stems are completely cut off, leaving shoots 30 centimeters long with a pair of buds on them. If you remove young branches from a plant in its first year of life, it will subsequently grow stronger. Clematis will begin to bush and develop side stems.

How to perform universal pruning:

• all stems are divided into 3 parts;
• the first part is cut at a distance of 30 centimeters from the ground;
• the second part is cut so that stems 1 meter long remain;
• the third part is not touched, only slightly shortened on top (by 10-20 centimeters).

In the new season, with the beginning of plant growth and development, you need to see which part will grow better and then bloom. It is recommended to carry out the next autumn pruning, taking into account the flowering results of stems trimmed in different ways. Bushes can be pruned to varying lengths from time to time. In this way, the plant will gradually rejuvenate.

Features of clematis shelter

Plants are covered in early November.Shelter is carried out only after pruning and processing. Branches, spruce branches, bark, sawdust, and artificial waterproof materials are used for shelter. You can pour a little earth or snow on top of the insulation.

The insulating structure should be light so that the plant branches under it do not break. Clematis needs to be provided with air access, otherwise its stems will get wet and dry out. To do this, small holes are left on the sides of the shelter for ventilation.

First years

In the first year, the stems are completely cut off, leaving stumps (with buds) 30 centimeters high near the ground. Such sprouts are buried high in soil mixed with sand, peat, sawdust and wood ash. The top of the low mound can be covered with agrofibre, lutrasil or roofing felt.

young bush

Young stems are spud high, bent to the ground, laid on dry spruce branches and wrapped on top with agrofibre. Lutrasil or roofing felt can be used as insulation. A wooden box can be placed on top of the plant.

White clematis

Lianas blooming on the shoots of the past and new year are usually removed from the support and slightly twisted. The stems are laid on a support made of wooden blocks. They are covered with dry sawdust or spruce branches on top. Then - roofing felt or lutrasil.

Small-flowered

If adult vines are left on a support, then at the base their stem is mounded high with earth. The plant itself is wrapped several times with agrofibre. This material allows air to pass through perfectly and prevents the plant from drying out.

Manchurian

This one varieties of clematis Before wintering, all stems are removed, leaving stumps up to 20-30 centimeters high near the ground.Before the onset of frost, plants are completely sprinkled with a light earthen mixture (sand, peat, sawdust) and covered with roofing felt.

How to prepare a clematis planting site for wintering

Before winter, bushes need to be treated with fungicides and sprinkled with soil with the addition of wood ash. This treatment will protect clematis from fungal diseases.

Soil cultivation in the tree trunk circle

The soil around the clematis is treated with Fundazol. In open ground there are many fungi and other microorganisms dangerous to plants. To destroy them, the soil within a radius of 50 centimeters from the stem is watered with a disinfectant solution.

Soil disinfection

To treat the soil and stems, not only fungicides are used, but also copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate). It is advisable to use the following agents for soil disinfection: Fitosporin M, Fitop Flora S, Fundazol.

Soil hilling

The soil around the stem is loosened, a bucket of peat and sand, 200 grams of wood ash are added and the stem is sprinkled with this mixture. If the shoots rise 30 centimeters above the surface, then they are completely covered with soil mixture.

For hilling, you can mix a little rotted humus into the ground. The organic additive will not only protect the plant roots from freezing, but also provide them with nutrients. Hilling is carried out to a height of 30-40 centimeters.

Treating plants against pests

To control pests, the base of the stems can be painted with a lime solution before wintering. For five liters of water take 0.5 kilograms of quicklime. As a preventive measure against pests, clematis can be sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. The same preparation is used to irrigate the soil near the stem.

To combat rodents, baits and mechanical traps are installed near the vines, and the base of the stem is sprinkled with pepper.

How to unhook vines from a support

The branches of the plant must be carefully removed from the support before winter. To do this, first, all dry leaves are removed from the stems, then the plants are untied from the support, and the shoots tangled behind the fence are cut off. By unhooking the clematis from the support, you can at the same time prune the plant. During the removal process, the branches are shortened slightly, leaving a stem at least 1.5 meters long.

To make it easier to care for clematis in the fall, it is advisable to tie it to a support on only one side in the spring.

With this method, the branches are not intertwined around the pipe, but only tied to it with ropes.

Methods for insulating plants for the winter

Before wintering, it is advisable to insulate the bushes so that they do not freeze or dry out. These vines are afraid of frost and excess moisture. The shelter for the winter should provide access to air, be warm, dry and not get wet.

Hilling

Clematis, which are completely cut off before wintering, leaving only low stumps, are covered with earth mixed with peat and sand. You need to make a high mound above the stems (from 30 to 60 centimeters).

Combined shelter

Completely cut plant stems can be insulated not only by hilling, but also covered on top with agrofibre or roofing felt. You can sprinkle the earthen mound with sawdust, dry branches, or place a wooden box over it.

Air method of shelter

Clematis, which blooms on last year's branches, is covered by air. The plant is covered with earth, then removed from the support and rolled up. Dry twigs or spruce branches are placed underneath.

Metal or wooden arcs are installed on top of the vine, onto which roofing material or agrofibre is pulled.

You can cover the plant with a wooden box and sprinkle spruce branches on top.This structure is covered from above with roofing felt or agrofibre, leaving holes on the sides for ventilation. The main thing in this method of shelter is to leave air space between the branches and the protective insulation.

Covering individual bushes

In order to preserve clematis in winter, individual bushes can be bent to the ground, laid on wooden slats or dry branches, and covered with a box or roofing felt on top. It is necessary to make holes for air ventilation.

Clematis group shelter

Lianas growing in a row can be insulated as a group. To do this, they are removed from the support, bent to the ground, laid on dry branches or spruce branches, and metal arcs are placed on top, onto which roofing material or agrofibre is pulled.

Enhanced insulation

To prepare for a harsh winter, vines need to be thoroughly insulated. The plants are removed from the support and placed on a thick layer of spruce branches or dry sawdust. Metal arcs are installed on top, agrofibre is stretched, another layer of spruce branches is laid on top and again covered with roofing felt. You can build a wooden structure on top of the shelter.

How to treat clematis for the winter

Before wintering, the stems need to be treated to protect them from pests. Copper sulfate is considered the most affordable drug. For processing, prepare a solution: 50 grams of the substance are diluted in 5 liters of water. Immediately after preparation, the bush is sprayed with this product. The vines are processed in dry, windless weather. This product will protect clematis from developing mold in winter.

Treatment with iron sulfate will protect the vine from fungal microorganisms. This product will additionally feed the bushes with microelements of iron. For spraying, prepare a solution: 30 grams of iron sulfate are dissolved in 10 liters of water. The stems of the plant are irrigated with the liquid, a little of the mixture is poured under the root.

Caring for clematis in winter

In winter, it is advisable to constantly monitor how covered plants behave. If icing appears on the branches, they additionally need to be wrapped in a layer of warm reeds or straw, and wrapped several times with agrofibre on top.

If the plant sweats, on the contrary, you need to remove the excess layer of cover, ventilate the stem, and wrap it with breathable material. In winter, you can pour more snow on the structure, under it the plant will be warmer. During the thaw, you need to make sure that moisture does not accumulate near the stem, otherwise the clematis will dry out and rot.

Different regions and shelter of clematis

Each region has its own way of covering plants. In the southern latitudes, the bushes are only covered high with earth, but in the northern regions they are insulated with sawdust, spruce branches, roofing felt, or wooden protective structures are made on top.

In the Moscow region and the Middle Zone

In the Moscow region, clematis are insulated by hilling and covered with agrofibre or roofing felt on top. If the plants are removed from the support, it is laid on dry branches or spruce branches. Then a box or metal arcs are installed on top, onto which agrofibre, lutrasil, film or roofing felt are stretched.

In the Volga region

In the Volga region, when insulating clematis for the winter, they make sure that they are not flooded with water. To do this, special grooves are made to drain water, and high wooden slats are placed on the ground, on which the stems removed from the support are laid. Then the plant branches are covered with roofing felt or lutrasil.

In the Leningrad region

Clematis are removed from the support, placed on wooden slats, and then covered with agrofibre or roofing felt. You can insulate clematis with spruce branches and cover the top with a wooden box wrapped in film.

In the Urals and Siberia

In regions with cold frosty winters, clematis are thoroughly insulated. The plants are laid on spruce branches or sprinkled with sawdust, wrapped in agrofibre, and wooden structures are installed on top. They are also wrapped in film. Then the shelter is covered with a thick layer of snow.

Removing cover in spring

With the onset of spring, when severe frosts have passed, clematis slowly open up. The shelter is gradually removed from April to May. Plants open during the day, in dry and sunny weather.

At first, the clematis are only opened slightly for a couple of hours and allowed to bask in the sun, and then insulated again at night. Plants need to be given time to adapt to new conditions. Then they remove the film, remove the dry branches, lift the vine and tie it to a support. Lastly, remove the mulch from under the stem.