Clematis care

Clematis is a fast growing climber

Clematis is a climber known for the beauty and size of its flowers. However, the botanical genus to which it belongs is also made up of species that are not so notable for their petals as for their rapid growth and adaptability. The latter are difficult to see in a garden; not in vain, hybrids and cultivars are the most striking and therefore also the most demanded, but if you want to have a low-maintenance garden or patio, we encourage you to get to know them, since they resist drought better than clematis. marketed.

But, of course, with this we do not want to tell you not to acquire a hybrid or cultivar; absolutely. These have brightly colored flowers of a very interesting size, so they look great in lattices, arches, fences, and even in pots. Let's see what the clematis care is to have it perfect, regardless of the variety.

Where should it be placed?

The clematide plant grows in the sun

Before answering the question of how the plant is cared for Clematis, it is important first to say where it is to be placed. Clematis is a climbing plant that it has to be outdoors, in a sunny place if possible, although it tolerates semi-shadow.

As it grows fast and can exceed 10 meters in length, it must be kept away from other plants, since it could use them as a support whether we want it or not. And if we are not careful, it would not kill them but it would weaken them a lot, since it would give them shade and, if they are both in the ground, they would compete for the nutrients they need.

When and how should it be watered?

The clematis or clematis is a plant that it must be watered sparingly throughout all the seasons of the year. Rainwater should be used whenever possible, but water suitable for human consumption will also work, or one whose pH is 5-7.

When it is watered, the water will head to the land, and it will be added until it is moist. If it is in a pot, it must be added until the one that has not been absorbed comes out from underneath, through the holes; and if it's on the ground, we'll do a tree grate around and fill it with water.

What is the best substrate for clematis?

It is a plant that does not like waterlogging too much. Grows in well-drained soils. The soil can be loamy and poor in nutrients, but if it takes hours or days to absorb the water, it will not be good for clematis. In case the one we have is precisely like this, we will make a hole of about 50 x 50 centimeters, and we will fill it with universal cultivation substrate that contains perlite (such as this).

And if we are going to have it in a pot, we can use that same universal substrate. Although to improve drainage it is worth adding volcanic clay to the bottom; this way the water that has not been absorbed will come out faster. Yes indeed, we have to remember to plant it in a bigger pot every 2 or 3 years, in spring.

The Clematis subscriber

The clematide has flowers of various colors

Clematis grows in spring and summer, even continues to do so in autumn if the weather is mild. It is especially during its vegetative season when it needs the most water and nutrients. For this reason, It is highly recommended to pay it from the first moment in which we see that it resumes its growth at the end of winter, and that we stop doing it when temperatures begin to drop below 15ºC.

We will pay it with liquid fertilizers if it is in a pot, or in powder if it is on the ground. We can pay it with a fertilizer, such as the universal one (for sale here) or flowering plants (for sale here); but we recommend the use of natural fertilizers, such as seaweed extract (for sale here), compost, eggshells, tea bags.

How to prune it?

Pruning clematis consists of removing the parts that are broken or diseased. Likewise, those stems that have grown more than we want must be trimmed. For this we can use common scissors (such as children's, or kitchen ones) to cut the green and tender stems, and anvil scissors (such as these) if they are woody.

It will be necessary to use clean and disinfected tools, otherwise we could risk catching an infection.

What are clematis pests and diseases?

It is a very resistant plant. It is difficult for us to see any plague or signs of disease. But that doesn't mean you can't have. If we are careless with watering, or if the land in which it grows is not suitable for it for example, it can have problems.

Therefore, adding more water than it touches can lead to a fungal infection (that is, transmitted by fungi), which will rot the roots and cause the leaves to turn brown quickly. Or if we stop watering it, some cochineal feeding on the sap of its leaves.

In the first case we would have to apply a fungicide, and in the second an ecological anticochineal (such as this), or diatomaceous earth (for sale No products found.) for instance.

What is the cold hardiness of clematis?

The clematide has simple care

The clematis is a climber that, in general, resists moderate frost very well. It can endure up to -18ºC without problems, there are even some varieties that resist up to -30ºC, such as Clematis 'Blue Bird', or Clematis 'White Swan'.

What do you think of the care that must be provided to clematis? We hope you are encouraged to grow this fantastic plant in your garden, balcony or patio.


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