Clematis Care... The Queen of the Vines

Clematis are the most popular of the climbing vines that you'll find at your local Garden Center or Nursery. Their popularity beyond a doubt makes them ... The Queen of the Vines.

Clematis are quite easy to grow, extremely hardy, moderately drought tolerant and best of all... they'll reward you with a shower of flowers for nearly the entire summer... as well as the next 30 years.

By following these easy steps... you will be successful with your Clematis.

Your site... Most varieties of Clematis require full sun, rich soil and cool roots. Loosen the soil where you intend to plant your new Clematis. Work in some rich compost or topsoil. Dig a hole about twice the size of the container your Clematis was potted in. Gently remove the container... leaving the stake your plant came with in the soil ball. Plant your new Clematis about 2" deeper than the soil level. Next add your trellis or what ever means of support you intend to use.

Shading... as mentioned earlier, the trick to being successful with Clematis is shading their roots. This seems like a difficult task... as the plant prefers full sun. Really it's quite easy. There are several methods you can use to shade the roots. 

• Plant low growing plants around the base of your Clematis
• Place large stones or garden art objects around the base
• Mulch the base of your Clematis with bark... wood chips or straw

Watering and Feeding... Clematis prefer regular waterings... at least until they have become established. When dry... the leaves of your plant will loose some of their dark green color and appear wilty. It's time to water... in fact you should have watered one day sooner.
Clematis love good food... it is recommended that you feed your Clematis every 4 to 6 weeks throughout the growing season with a liquid plant food such as Miracle Grow. Systemic granules such as Osmocote can be substituted.

There... now that you know the basics of growing Clematis, your plants should provide you with a shower of flowers... for the next 30 seasons.

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