Planting a Clematis it’s not difficult but you need to take into consideration some useful advices and also know the basic needs of this plant. The beautiful Clematis flower it’s often called the queen of climbers. Clematis are mainly of Chinese and Japanese origin.
Clematis is a climbing plant of the buttercup family which bears white, pink, blue or purple flowers. It is vigorous and very good for covering walls, pergolas. They also love to grow up on trellis or arbors. Clematis grows very fast, if properly taken care of. Planting a Clematis can be done in containers (pots) or directly in the soil. It’s important to give them the best possible start. Clematis can be planted at any time of the year but some gardening experts recommend planting them in fall. The weather is beautiful in fall and it’s a great time for planting Clematis. More than that, an advantage of planting clematis in fall it’s that the plants have had the whole spring and summer to grow, so you can pick up really beautiful plants from the garden centers.
There are two important things, when it comes to growing Clematis. One is the fact that they like to have a nice sunny location and second, the most important thing of all it’s that the pot needs to have really good draining in the bottom of the container, or the soil must be free draining.
Before planting a Clematis water your plant thoroughly. Now you need to dig a hole that’s about twice the size of the pot. It’s recommended to use some soil conditioner (organic compost that helps the plant and encourages a strong root system). Mix it in a little bit with the existing soil. Remove the pot so you can put the plant in the hole. Partially fill with soil around the roots, firm gently with your fist.
For Clematis in containers it’s important that the depth of the container to be of a minimum 45 centimeters. Do not use a plastic pot because they heat up far too much in the summer, use a terracotta pot or a good ceramic container. Clematis preffer to have their roots in the shade and their tops in the sun. You can plant summer annuals or perennials in the top of the container and that will really help to shade the root system of your plant.
If you have decided to put your plant in the soil, against a wall or a fence do not plant too close because the soil will be too dry. Plant about 30-40 cm away and angle your plant towards the support. There are lots of different types of supports that can be used with your clematis. You can choose between metal or wooden supports, all colors and shapes.
Clematis are wonderful plants that are easy to grow. They are a great way to add color to your garden. They like well drained soil that’s not too dry during the growing season. One last important thing: when clematis are in full bloom don’t fertilize them.
Photos via Pinterest.
