If you have had a look at this website, you will know how much I love clematis (see my pictures in Climbers). At the last count, I have maybe 11 or 12 different varieties, and I love them all. I have even grown some successfully from seed, but you will need patience and a refrigerator (if you are wondering, Clematis alpina, ‘Frances Rivis’ is a good one to try).
The great advantage of clematis is that you can find one to suit most situations and locations. Although I haven’t tried it, it seems clear that they will even grow well in pots. And there is the possibility to have a clematis flowering lin your garden virtually all year round. However, if you really want success, it is worth spending a bit of time feeding them when they need that bit of extra help.
| My feeding regime is as follows: |
Autumn or spring: An annual mulch (well-rotted manure), applied in autumn or spring will help immensely, especially in respect of retaining moisture and providing feed over long periods of time. February: Work in a large handful of bonemeal fertiliser into the soil at the base of the plant and water in. March: Apply a large handful of Magnesium (Epsom) Salts in the same way and water in. April: Apply a single handful of Sulphate of Potash, again in the same way. Apply a second after deadheading large flowering clematis, to encourage a second set of flowers. April to mid-September: However, as always, instead of Sulphate of Potash, tomato feed can be applied every fortnight from April to mid-September. Note also that clematis are thirsty plants. They hate soils that dry out during the growing season, when they can be prone to (drought) stress. So keep an eye on them during dry periods, which are now likely to be more common in the UK. |
I have used Westland fertilisers and Tomorite tomato feed, but there are plent of others in the market that will be just as good. In particular, if you want an organic tomato feed try Maxicrop’s Organic Tomato Fertiliser with Seaweed.
If you follow the above regime, you will get a good show. If you don’t, you will probably still get a great display. However, have a go at feeding your clematis, as I suspect you will notice the difference. Good luck!
