Suburban Gardener—

The Fussy, But Charismatic, Clematis

By Gerry McCabe

I’ve always been tall. Many say that is an advantage. You can reach the top shelf without a ladder, see above heads in a crowd, wear clothes well and walk fast when you have to.

But being tall has its disadvantages as well. In grade school I always stood in the back row, my “bell-bottoms” would only reach to my ankle, boys were always shorter than me, and I would always have to really bend or squat to see or smell a flower.

Now with The Big “5-0” staring at me, I find that my back tells me it is best to look at the flowers straight on, face to face, and that is why I have taken a sudden affection to vines. They come up to greet me. One of the most spectacular vines that I know of is the enchanting Clematis in all its forms and colors.

Clematis does not come easily to its glory. Being the fussy vine that it is, we all know that best results are had when their roots are cool and in the shade, while their heads are pulling in the sunshine like a day at the beach. But what many do not know is that their fussiness goes way beyond location. Why they can be so obstinate they will just up and die on you if you do not cater to their every whim.

I know of many gardeners who have boasted about their vine, claiming, “I never do a thing and it is as spectacular from year to the next.” I have seen that same gardener a year or two later looking at his dried up tangled mass of vine with tears in the eyes asking, “What happened?”

First of all, bear in mind that Clematis x jackmanii, the big flowered, continuous summer bloomer we are all so fond of, can take up to seven years to establish itself. That’s right, seven big ones.

But we gardeners are a patient bunch when we know the reward is at the end of the path. During this time roots are growing rapidly, spreading in all directions underground. Meanwhile, top growth is sparse, with maybe a flower or two.

It is important to be very patient during this period and continue to feed the soul, or the roots, of the plant. Clematis likes a well-draining soil that is compost rich and with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH.

Mulch, mulch, and mulch again around the tender baby, being sure to keep within a two-inch circle around the stem. Lightly feed at monthly intervals throughout the summer with a soil drench or foliar spray and don’t let the soil dry out. An inch of water a week is a necessity, not an option.

Really try to protect the brittle stems from breakage during the formative years by encircling the plant with a temporary barrier of stone or fence or by planting a living railing of quick growing annuals. This would serve a two-fold purpose by protecting and root cooling at the same time.

Be sure you provide a structure for the growing vine to twine around. During these growing years, your clematis will grow straight up in one direction with few if any side shoots.

Resist the urge to “pinch” the tip, for this could cause stress to the entire plant process and do more harm than good. Remember, be patient. Side shoots will appear in time.

General pruning should be limited during the first few years to just the removing of blatantly dead tissue. An established C.x jackmanii should be pruned in late winter or very early spring, for it blooms on current year’s growth.

Now back to the “know it all” gardener whose clematis bid him adieu. Luck may have it that one stuck a clematis vine in the ground without thought and lo and behold, the sucker took off without a care in the world. That gardener is probably the same person who eats bacon and eggs each morning and has a cholesterol level of 160. But time will catch up in both cases.

Disease and malnutrition will set in and if not treated the end will be a sickly mess. I don’t need to tell you what will happen to the “breakfast king” but without careful observation, your clematis can die and death can come quick.

The most common disease of the Jackmanii’s is Leaf Spot. This fungus first shows its presence by tiny brown leaf discolorations that come together almost overnight to form a big black blotch of dead tissue. This will spread to the stem and quickly kill all growth above it. Careful, daily inspection during wet weather and prophylactic sulfur sprays can aid in keeping it in check.

Be sure when you first plant the vine that you plant it deeper than it was in the nursery pot. This will give it a second chance at regrowth since the roots will be well protected. Heavily infected vines need to be cut and destroyed.

Clematis borers can cause the plant to be stunted and die. These buggers are a dull white worm that hollow out the stems and devour the roots and crown of the plant. Little can be done except to cut out the infested stems and dig out any larva you see in the soil.

Blister beetles and weevils can cause Swiss cheese leaves and death to the plant. A proper spraying of a pyrethrum mixture could help here.

Next week I will focus on the many types of clematis other than the Jackmanii’s and other vines for tall gardeners. See you then.

(When she isn’t tending to her garden at home, Gerry McCabe spends some of her time continuing her gardening education at Naugatuck Valley College in Waterbury. Gerry — who is a certified master gardener in Connecticut — can be reached at TNGCATS@aol.com.)