Clematis by Post - Clematis Expert Growing Advice

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Growing Advice

On receiving your postal pack, plant each plug into a small pot of compost and water thoroughly. Place in a well-lit position, preferably indoors unless it is very mild. Keep compost moist but not waterlogged. Remember to note the variety name and its pruning group for future reference. Leave the newly potted plugs to settle in.
Within two to three weeks, in the spring and summer months, they will start to send out some new growth. If you have received your plugs in the late summer/autumn there will be limited top growth until the following spring. However, the root system will continue to develop. Avoid subjecting your plants to prolonged excessive high temperatures, as this will produce forced soft growth.
If the new extension growth becomes too leggy while in the pot, cut it back to just above one of the pairs of leaves. This can help to produce a sturdier plant, although the growth habit does vary greatly from one variety to another. As the root system develops and starts to fill up the pot, you can either increase the container size or plant in a sunny and sheltered spot in the garden.
The second option should only be taken in late spring or early summer and when all danger of frost has passed. At this stage suitable support should be provided [trellis or canes] for the extending growth to cling to. It is important to keep the area around the plant free of weeds and any neighbouring growth which may overcrowd it. Also, slugs and snails can cause damage to the young stems.
Liquid feed approximately every 3 to 4 weeks during the active growing season to maintain plant vigour. As the plant becomes established you will need to follow the appropriate pruning for that plant group.

PRUNING GROUPS

Group 1 - No Pruning.
These varieties flower on the previous season's growth and are among the most vigorous clematis. When used to cover large areas, no pruning is required. As soon as flowering has finished in late May/June any dead or weak stems may be removed and, if space is limited, plants that have made excessive growth can be cut back. Pruning at other times of the year will result in fewer flowers.

Group 2 - Optional Pruning.
This group consists of early and mid-season large flowered hybrids. Their main flowering period is May/June . No regular pruning is required, but in Feb/March dead tips may be removed from the stems to tidy the plant. To do this follow the stem down from the tip and prune just above a strong pair of live buds.

Group 3 - Hard Pruning.
This group is late flowering and produce their flowers on the current season's growth. In February, prune stems back to about 30 cms from the ground, cutting just above a leaf joint. New buds will soon appear here. Failure to hard prune will result in the plant becoming bare at the base with all the flowers at the top of the plant.