Dirt Diggers know secrets for beautiful clematis

Community

July 12, 2019 - 4:07 PM

Shirley Robertson listed seven secrets to beautiful clematis blossoms at Wednesday’s Dirt Diggers Garden Club meeting at her home.

There is nothing more spectacular than a clematis in full bloom, Robertson said.

There are three groups. You can identify which group to which it belongs when you buy the plant and see the tag.

Group chas cultivars bloom in the spring or summer as well as fall. Blooms are 4 to 7 inches wide, depending on the kind, and can grow up to 20 feet fall. Gardeners should prune bacl to about a food from the ground in the spring, she said.

Group B large double flowers and reblooms usually in the fall. Most grow up to 12 feet tall. Clematis make ideal subjects for covering structures such as pergolas, arbors, fences and trellis.

Look for a structure with plenty of cross pieces no more than 6 inches apart, Robertson said. So the vines can spread from one to the next. Use nylon fishing line and put knots every foot or so.

When pruning, trim back the tips and broken branches, then thin to balance the look. 

A group does die back in the winter and bloom in the spring. It has smaller blooms. Prune after it blooms, and cut back the tips.

Her seven tips:

— Know your vine.

— A slightly alkaline soil is preferred, with holes 18 inches deep and wide.

— Mulching matters to keep roots cool.

— Prune!

— Recognize disease quickly, such as leaf wilt. Use a fungicide spray.

— Use a balanced diet (10-10-10).

— Choose the right trellis.

Yarrow has distinctive blooms and are long-lasting pollinators. It’s also deer-resistant. Color ranges from soft pastels to bright yellow or white. Pick a sun spot perfect for a rock garden, Robertson said. Dead-heading will tidy up the plants and promote a second, lighter rebloom. Yarrow spread by rhizomes to form large clumps. Divide every three to five years in the spring or fall.

Four members attended the meeting. Dorothy McGhee will host the Aug. 14 meeting at 9:30 a.m.

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