FJ, welcome to the world of clematis fanatics. Just for the record, I have always treated my Rosemoor as a type III clematis and haven't had an issue doing so. It is still floriferous and blooms intermittently the rest of the summer after the initial bloom. With you being in zone 9 in California, I imagine you could treat all of your type IIs as type IIIs and not have issues either. In fact, treat them all as type IIIs the first year in the garden, and your clematis will be better off for it.

What to do with your clematis will really depend on how well developed the clematis' root system are. I haven't ordered and received anything from Koi Garden yet (have one ordered for delivery this spring), but from what I have seen from pictures posted here, they tend to be well established and if anything a bit root bound. If they are, I would tease and pull the roots apart and then pot them up in one or two gallons sized pots to grow until this fall before planting. The reason I say this is that if your zone 9 is anything like my zone 7a, then spring is fleeting and summer comes on like gangbusters. If that is the case, then they won't have time to get really established prior to the arrival of hot weather. In pots, you will be able to make sure they are kept well watered, allow the roots to get re-established after your teasing them apart, you can keep them pruned back to establish a plant that is shorter and compact, and allow more stems to grow from the crown. Then, this fall when the weather cools, you will have real monster sized plants that you can plant out and they will have all fall and into the winter to get really established.

Just my opinions based on my experiences in my garden and not really knowing what zone 9 summers are like! Perhaps others will have other opinions. Good luck and welcome to the world of clematis.

nckvilledude:

Thank you very much for your advice. I will certainly pot them. My problem was that I did not know I could and should prune them like type III, hence I was not sure how to move them from their temporary support to their permanent one.

Since you have Rossmoor, is it really 6' wide? I read in Wayside Garden's catalog that all my other choices are 3' wide and Rossmoor is 6' wide. If it is not I need to order another one.

Thanks again,
FJ

FJ, all clematis regardless of pruning class should be treated as type IIIs the first year after they are planted in the ground since doing so encourages the plant to develop its root system over the top development and encourages more basal shoot development from the crown, thereby making the plant bushier and have more vines. In addition, since many of the type II clematis are prone to clematis wilt and some believe that wilt may occur when a plant develops too much top growth that its root system cannot support, pruning back helps to limit the top growth so the roots can get developed.

Another good idea is that when you pot your clematis up, bury them several inches deeper in their new pots than they were planted in their original pot since that buries dormant nodes that can be called into play if the plant succumbs to clematis wilt or if it gets broken off at ground level.

Plant catalogs often give descriptions that are very unrealistic in how large a clematis can get. Add to that the fact that individual plants are going to grow larger for some people than others based on the vigorousness of the plant, the growing conditions, and the care the grower gives the plant that you should take any info from catalogs trying to sell you something with a grain of salt.

I have Rosemoor planted with its siblings Harlow Carr and Wisley (all from the Royal Horticultural Society group-don't have Hyde Hall).

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As usual..Miguel..your pics make my heart sing!!..They are stunning..
I agree with Miguel...Being in a warmer zone ..I find planting those smaller clematis in fall much more advantageous as I have very wet falls/winters and they just love getting established under those circumstances ..I planted 14 clematis from Koi Gardens directly in my new gardens last fall and they are budding out like mad right now...I have 9 that I potted up as Miguel mentioned last spring and you should see the ROOTS..I dropped the pots into my retaining garden and covered up with soil and made sure to water..they are getting planted into my garden this coming week...Jeanne

FJ,

I have much less experience that most others on this forum, but I am in San Jose and if I remember correctly you are nearby. I purchased my first clematises(?) from Bluestone 2 years ago and they were tiny. Being impatient I planted them in the ground, but I don't know if that has been too much of a disadvantage. My container plants suffer as I cannot keep up with watering every day during the hot summers. But the clematis babies were ok thru their first summer ('06 when we had 100+ temps for a week). They didn't do much but I didn't have to spend any extra effort on them either. Our springs are quite long and its hot only after June, last year we got handful of 90+ days, so if your spot is not in full afternoon sun I don't think your clems will suffer from direct planting. On the other hand, they'll likely get bigger roots faster in a pot. Maybe plant 1 of the same variety in the ground and 1 in the pot, and next year you'll be able to tell us which is better!
Good luck!