Clematis Vines Not Doing So Well

I bought my first clematis vines this year. I bought four and only one surrvived, and it is not doing so well. Could this be because the vines I bought were first season plants?

 

I've got no luck with them either. I have one near the garage that has been deteriorating more every year. This year I cut it to the ground intending on seeding morning glories under the trellis. Well, the dern thing came back with a vengance and looks it's best in years. Sorry, I wish I new more about them....

 

Thank You Eileen .I want to grow Clematisso bad but was told they don't do well in hot climates ,Im going to go read about it now .

 

Jim, it would help if we knew your zone. I do know that clematis don't like acid soil, they like neutral to slightly alkaline soil. I have 2, neither of them do very well but the couple of dozen flowers I get every year are worth the trouble.

 

I had a clematis vine that I planted from a purchased root, that for two years made 2 or three leaves and nothing else. When I moved, I dug it up and brought it with me anyway. I planted it and it shot up from something that looked dead to about 1 1/2 foot high vine with several leaves. I was so excited! Then a bunny or some critter ate it. :{ Point is the soil I think is better here for them, I live on top of a lot of limestone=more alkaline.

 

I planted three and just left them...didn't even water.......One got eatin to the ground but all three are climbing the fence...they do seem to be delicate little things, that is way I just leave them be!! Good luck!

 

I just bought a "Jackmani" this spring and it will be the second try for a clematis for me. The other one only lasted one year and it broke so easily. So far this one seems to be a little more sturdy and it has a lot of blooms for being only about a foot long. I wonder how many years it will take to climb up over my arbor?! If it lives that is...

 

Clematis are one of my husband's favorites so we have tried to grow them more than once with little success until we received three mistakenly from a mail order catalog. The company did not want them back so we planted them two years ago. They are small but all had at least a dozen blossoms each this year and two are still in bloom. I don't know any secret to success - two only get morning sun and the other gets full sun. The soil is the same for all. We joke and say the only clematis we can get to grow is the ones we didn't have to pay for. Polly

 

I don't have any Clematis yet, but trust me I will soon..they are one of my favorite flowers! My sister has one that is about 8' tall now and gets a million blooms on it late in the summer. One thing she says she swears by is covering the roots during the cold months. Clematis roots are very tender and don't take well to cold temperatures. She puts an extra bed of mulch at the bottom of hers and then covers the mulch with stones during the winter months. Come Spring (after the last frost) she uncovers it. I wish I had a picture to share with you as hers is absolutely beautiful!

 

At the last count we have over 100 clematis of various kinds.Now we live in one of the coldest parts of England (frost every month except August so far over the last 10 years). Some of the more tender cirrhosa types do not do well, but generally they grow very well. They like their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun. Also when planting they should be planted at least 2 inches and better 4 inches deeper than they were in the pots in which they were bought. This puts lots of growth points below ground to start from if anything damages the above ground parts. They also like lots of water after planting and probably for the first couple of years until the roots have established.
There are American varieties and species which should grow well since they are native.

 

I tried them this year for the first time. got em from Home Depot, put them in a container with some bamboo stakes and they took off. maybe they arent getting enough sun? mine are in full hot all day blazing sun. :-?

 

heres mine.... they lost a few flowers but more are on the way!

 

Beautiful - we have one similar in color but don't know the name of it.

 

yeah i dont remember the name of this one. i got it from Home Depot for like 4 bucks.