A tail of two (very sad) Clematis - Any advice please?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Barders, Aug 14, 2020.

  1. Barders

    Barders Gardener

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    Hi Gardening Lovelies,

    I bought two Clematis from a supermarket, about a month or so ago. Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed one of them was covered in a white mildew like substance, but it flowered, so I thought it would be OK. The second one didn't do anything, until this week. It hadn't grown, no new shots, but now there are a small bit of growth.

    For the first one, the whole plant is covered in the white stuff, should I just cut it back now the flowers have died and hope it comes back OK next year please?

    For the second one, is there anything I can do to help encourage growth please? I bought Clematis food, but have only given them one lot so far, should I continue with that or is it too late in the season now please?

    They are both in a shady area, about 2-3 hours of sun a day and dry, free draining soil.

    Thank you in advance for your assistance.

    Lynne
     
  2. jimcubs

    jimcubs Gardener

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    Non of ours or our neighbours wisterias have done well this year, I lost one to a root fungus
     
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    • Barders

      Barders Gardener

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      Thanks @jimcubs. I was going to buy a wisteria this year, glad I didn't now! I think I am just going to prune the first one back to the ground as it looks like it dying/dead, shame the flowers it did have were beautiful!
       
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        There are quite a few of us in the GC Gang that grow a few or more Clematis in their gardens, Barders. I have around 180-190 different varieties scattered around the garden and on the Trellis Entrance to the garden.......
        upload_2020-8-16_20-5-41.png

        upload_2020-8-16_20-7-32.png

        It probably is Powdery Mildew as you suspect, Barders. If the plant is, for the moment, okay and has flowered you can either treat it with an anti fungal leave mixture it and leave it until the Spring for it's annual pruning, or cut it back to a clean shoot or bud now.


        To be honest, Barders, there is really no such a thing as a specific Clematis Food, if it was sold as that then it is merely Marketing Blurb, but it probably won't do any harm either:dunno: Clematis like a good weekly/monthly feed of something with a high Potash content such as a Tomato Feed and maybe a general purpose fertiliser every now and then.

        Well, Clematis do as they say, "like their roots cool and damp and their heads in the Sun". But different varieties of Clematis react to such conditions differently especially if they are young and newly planted. I have a Blue Clematis that grows happily in a shady situation in my Jasmine/Honeysuckle/Clematis hedge running along my Wildlife pond.
        upload_2020-8-16_20-23-5.png

        I have tried other Clematis but this one seems to love the shade. So long as your Clematis are getting a few hours of Sun then they should be okay.:thumbsup: When it comes to free draining soil, (I garden on around a depth of around 350' of sand that has taken decades to get a top layer of light loam. In the early years I lost a few Clematis while learning what they like and don't like but I kept adding Compost around them and left it to the Worms to drag it down into the soil to improve it, and with patience it seems to have worked.
         
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        • Mike Allen

          Mike Allen Total Gardener

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          I recall learning about clematis requiring cool roots. I was a bit shocked at the prctice of placing a layer or two os stones over the soil.. The penny eventualy dropped.

          Of course the stone would become warm/hot by the sun's heat, but the roots would remain protected.

          That's a lot of clematis Armandii.
           
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          • ARMANDII

            ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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            Not really, Mike, I believe that there might be one of two members who equal or surpass my collection. I break all the rules regarding pruning as various Groups are mixed tightly together so they all get pruned at the same time without any problems.
            Covering the roots of Clematis with stones/pebbles, gravel is mostly used where the planting site is in the open and exposed to the full Sun, but it needn't be followed when in shady areas.
            I believe the practice of using a material to cover the planting site was devised by Gardeners on the staff of the Big House estates going back to the 18th Century and they used straw but things went to more easily obtained objects when Clematis be popular with the Working Class gardener such as stone, etc.
             
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            • Mike Allen

              Mike Allen Total Gardener

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              Totally agree. As I always say. Gardening is an adventure into the future. As the wise man Soloman wrote. 'To the writings of many books'. As with so many aspects of life. We read, listen and learn. Then take the path that proves best to us. Best wishes.
               
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              • Barders

                Barders Gardener

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                :wow: @ARMANDII they look beautiful!

                For the poorly one, apart from right at the bottom, I can't find a bit of the plant that doesn't have the mildew on it :sad: so I will leave it be and prune in the Spring as you say.

                Re the Clematis food, I will chalk that up to experience :heehee: But I haven't been regular with feeding my plants, any of them, so will try to do it regularly for the rest of this year and ensure that I am consistent next year!

                I have had Clematis in other gardens and have always loved them, just never planted new plants befor, so as @Mike Allen says, "read, listen and learn" and hopefully next year they will both flourish.

                Thank you so much for your advice AMRANDII, much appreciated :love30:
                 
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                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Hi Barders, it's a very good habit to ensure you give your all your plants a regular feed:thumbsup:. However, you do not have to feed them after the end of August as most will stop growing and flowering after that date:nonofinger:, you can start feeding in the Spring when you see new growth. Plants like Roses will flower even into December if you're lucky but usually are quite happy not being given a feed after August.

                  Advice from the RHS........

                  "The following products contain a combination of both insecticide and fungicide, enabling the control of both insect pests and disease: myclobutanil containing cypermethrin (Resolva Rose 3 in 1, Rose Shield Bug & Fungus Killer, Roseclear Ultra Gun 2, Rosegarde) and triticonazole containing acetamiprid (Roseclear Ultra, Roseclear Ultra Gun).When a proprietary product contains an insecticide as well as a fungicide it would be preferable to use an alternative product if pests are not a problem on the plants treated.
                  Any crop: SB Plant Invigorator, Resolva Natural Power Bug and Mildew Control, RHS Bug and Mildew Control, Ecofective Bug & Mildew Control and the Ecofective ‘Defender’ range contain a blend of surfactants and nutrients and can be used on any edible or ornamental plants, with no harvest interval. They have a physical mode of action and may be used against powdery mildews, as well as a range of pests such as whiteflies, aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and psyllids."

                  I would recommend that you use one of the above, if you're not going to cut the Clematis back, to avoid further spread of the Powdery Mildew. Any diseased plant material should be binned and not put on any compost heap you have. I, personally, don't use any chemicals in the garden and seem mostly to get away with it but I put that down to feeding the borders etc regularly, at the right time, for the right period which gives the plants better growth and strength to resist disease.. Let us all know how you get on.:thumbsup::cat-kittyandsmiley::coffee:
                   
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                  • Barders

                    Barders Gardener

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                    Thank you so much @ARMANDII that is really useful and I never thought about the mildew getting onto the other plants!

                    I am trying to avoid using any chemicals in the garden if I can, but will have a look at the products you mentioned and perhaps need to use something every now and again until I develop a good routine out there!

                    Thank you for the tip about when to stop and start feeding plants, that is really helpful

                    We still have lots of lovely plants to look at for the time being, but looking forward to next year, learning more, putting it into practice and having an even more lovely garden :spinning:
                     
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                    • ARMANDII

                      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                      I know I have said this before on GC, but a lot of us have been gardening for decades and have have learnt from our many mistakes and experiences........but all of us learn everyday. We don't have "experts" on GC but we do have a lot of members who have gained some knowledge from their years of mistakes, failures and successes and they :love30: are always willing to pass on the benefit of their knowledge to others. So there are plenty of members who will help you with any advice you need.
                      If the garden brings a smile to your face, Barders, when you go into it, then you know you've got your own personal bit of Heaven and Haven.:heehee::thumbsup:
                       
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                      • Barders

                        Barders Gardener

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                        Thank you @ARMANDII , I have had so much great support and advice already, I am truly grateful.

                        I 'came' to gardening for a different reason than probably most have, but having started on this journey, I have now been bitten by the bug and really enjoy my time out there. Even if a couple of plants 'haven't made it' :doh: I am really enjoying the experiences and looking forward to learning so much more.

                        Thank you again to you and everyone who has taken their time to help me, you are all :star:
                         
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