Assessing Group 2s

18 years ago

I want 2s in my garden for the spring show, and this year I was going to assess their worthiness, but I really goofed. I got so caught up in the excitement of spring and all plant moves I needed to make I completely forgot to fertilize the clematis. By the time I realized it, the 2's already had buds. Only the five that weren't moved this spring are affected, but it's still somewhat disappointing.

Multi Blue is full and has nice flowering, but most of the vines only reach 2-3 feet. I cut it back somewhat hard this year, so I don't know if it's short stature is from cutting it hard, the cold, or not fertilizing or a combination of everything. I threatened it last year that it would be removed from the garden if it didn't bloom nicer this year. Well, it did bloom nice enough that I can finally can say I like it, but it will be moved to a less prominent spot.

Arctic Queen had a few weird buds that came out early, but we had warmish sunny days and very cool nights for much of May. More buds are forming, but it probably won't flower like it could have. I don't know if the cold or the lack of fertilizer had the greater impact. Most likely it is lack of fertilizer. Since it blooms on both old and new wood, I think I should fertilize it now. I had cut this one back fairly hard. Next year I won't have to cut so drastically, unless winter does it for me.

Carnaby's growth is weak even though it's in a fertile spot in the garden, but it also has major root competition. I am treating as a 3, although it does have a few buds now. I'm hoping with the warmer temps and soil that it will put on a show this year. I should fertilize this one too.

The clematis I bought as Will Goodwin, but isn't, barely has any blooms. It has always been a good bloomer for me. I moved it last spring, so maybe it's still rebuilding it's root system, but considering that I have always fertilized it well, I will assume that the lack of fertilizer has had the bigger impact.

Miss Bateman, purchased last year and planted right before it snowed, shot out of the ground with an unreal amount of new shoots. I didn't get it spread out onto honeysuckle properly. When I planted it last year, I cut it down to about 8 inches. I wonder if I will see any blooms. Maybe this one needs to be on the fence.

Fireworks - this is it's third year, so I have great expectations. Unfortunately, I had to move it this spring. I didn't cut it back as I was able to get most of the root ball. It barely flowered last year. It has until next year.

I have other group 2's, all purchased last year, planted late last fall into the nursery bed, then replanted this spring. I'll give them another year before assessing, but one is already proving to be a bug magnet.

For those of you who grow group 2s, how do they perform in your garden?

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Comments (8)

flowerfan2
18 years ago
Clematis are very long lived plants. Some have been known to live over 100 years. They don't like having their roots systems disturbed. Every time you move them it takes a good 3 years before they bloom well again. If you hard prune your 2, most of your flowers will be in summer or fall, so don't expect too many flowers in early spring. You have to have patience with clematis. You have a lot of nice varieties. I think if you just keep them in the same spot and give them time to establish you will be very happy with them.
janetpetiole
Original Author
18 years ago
How many group 2's do you have? Your growing conditions are very different from mine, but I'd like to know how they compare to groups 3s.

Most people I know in colder zones, and even people in warmer zones, especially those who don't have a lot of room, give up growing group 2's because their performance is less than viticellas for example. Now I am trying to figure out what that means, exactly.
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buyorsell888
18 years ago
Most of my Clems are II's and I would not be without them. I just started growing III's on advice of this forum and in my climate, I'm not as impressed. They all got mildew here, something my II's never did.

The III's with Viticella heritage did grow bigger and flower more the first two years then II's typically do. More blooms not longer. II's bloom longer for me.

If one lacks patience, III's beat II's.

In my experience, Mult-blue is a star performer but it does sulk after being dug up and moved and hard pruned. Mine grows to about eight feet though.
mehearty
18 years ago
BOS, I would LOVE to see a pic of your multi blue in full bloom. Please? =)
jeanne_texas
18 years ago
Janet...Not only will transplanting the Clematis set it back..you must also consider hard pruning clematis in a shorter growing season such as yours will mean less flowers for they bloom on old wood from previous years and you must wait for the vines to age for them to bloom..you are losing the early Spring blooms and will get much less blooms...you didn't say how old these clematis are?...Jeanne
buyorsell888
18 years ago
{{gwi:596972}}

I don't seem to have one of the whole plant. It looks scraggly right now, I moved it twice in the last two years but previously it was fabulous.
buyorsell888
18 years ago
{{gwi:235409}}

Before I dug it up and moved it, it was three times the size. We are also having a wet gray spring. It should be covering that structure.
janetpetiole
Original Author
18 years ago
Jeanne,

This is the fourth year for Arctic Queen and Multi-Blue in the in the ground, 3rd year for Fireworks. Carnaby was moved last year and Miss Bateman was planted last fall. Bad news about Multi Blue though: I have to dig it this year and perhaps completely bareroot it thanks to the neighbors. There is a weed (I forget the name) that is growing through the Multi Blue. It has deep underground runners which break off easily and produce new runners freely. Despite my best efforts, runners have traveled to the clematis next to it as well. I should wait until middle August.

I recently purchased Mary Toomey's Pocket Guide to Clematis. In it she states that Arctic Queen needs regular water and feeding for best results. Because it is in the dryer part of the yard, I think I might move it to a different location.