Gardening Tips

Mt. Lehman Community Association

Come to the Mt. Lehman Garden Club meetings. Next one is September 16^th at 7:00 pm in the ML Hall

Gardening Tips for September

by Cynthia Segger

new_pa7 Clematis, Queen of the Vines, one can never have too many! They are a member of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. There is a huge range of clematis to choose from. They can climb or scramble, be shrubby or perennial, deciduous or evergreen. They flower at any time and any color. The flowers are usually showy with fluffy seed heads to follow. Now, there must be many spots in your garden for clematis or two or three. I have lost count of how many are in my garden and I can still see places for more.

Their requirements are simple: cool roots, sunny foliage and humus rich soil, moist but well drained. They can be planted behind shrubs and perennials or place mulch around the bottom to keep the roots cool. They grow well in pots, window boxes and planters. The climbers will need a trellis or some sort of support that their twining leaf-stocks can seek out and hug and new_pa4 a little guidance to find their way.

Clematis have three pruning categories.

Group A ~ Flowers on last year’s growth. Cut out dead or weak stems when they have finished blooming, usually May or June.

Group B ~ Flowers on last year’s and this year’s growth. A light pruning in February or March is all that is needed.

Group C ~ Flowers on this year’s growth. In February or March cut back to two strong buds on each stem or to the desired height if you want it to scramble to the canopy of a tree.

For ease of pruning, plant clematis of the same pruning group together.

All clematis should be pruned back to two strong sets of buds in February or March to increase vigor and keep them contained if space is limited. new_pa5

If you make a pruning mistake your clematis will grow back, you may just lose some blooms. Last year I had to impose some discipline on the various clematis growing around my patio. It was looking more like a leafy cave then a leafy bower. I trimmed and shaped the vines in February and have been very pleased with the bloom and the effect.

Clematis Wilt is a fungus that causes the stem to wilt just as flowers start to bloom. The fungus enters the plant through a cut or abrasion on the stem. It is suggested that you remove and destroy affected stems. In my experience the clematis will start again from ground level.

new_pa3 The clematis stem is very slender and can break easily. At planting time be sure to remove the staples in the pot that keep the stake in place. Plant the hybrid clematis with its stake about four inches deeper then it was in the pot. It then has a better chance of growing back if Fido gives it a little chew or in a moment of exuberance dashes over the stem.

Clematis can be propagated by cutting or layering. We are fortunate to have a varied selection of these wonderful vines in our local garden centers.