Clematis like rose or tomato food. I feed mine 'Espoma 'Rose Tone' which I pick up at my local nursery. It's an organic granular food. Also, a big shovelful of manure around each clematis in springtime helps to promote lush growth. I use a sprinkling of bone-meal sometimes as well.
Suzy

Thanks, I appreciate your reply suzymac. When should you feed clematis? While blooming, before, after?

I'm hoping some more see this thread and reply. Also, has anyone heard of this: someone told me that their Henryii (sp?) clematis likes eggshells to be mixed in the soil around it.

I too use Espoma Rose Tone on all my clematis and roses. I always use a cup or so of bonemeal whenever I plant something, along with a good amount of composted manure. This gives the plants all they need the first year, to establish a good root system. Bonemeal promotes root growth. I then use a fertilizer like Rose Tone the following spring, scratching a handfull or so into the top few inches of soil around my clematis or roses. I do this ever couple weeks while the plant is putting out green growth. I then stop with the fertilizer when I see buds forming. I've heard that fertilizing during bud formation and during blooming will lessen the amount of blooms and also shorten the bloom period.

You don't want to give your clematis a fertilizer that has too much nitrogen, as it will push vegetative growth rather than blooms. You'll get lots of green leaves, but no flowers.

If you stick to a rose or tomato food, and hold fertilizer during blooming period, you should be all set.

My feeding schedule is as follows:

One word of caution. Do not fertilize ANY clematis that are blooming or in full bud. (tiny buds are ok) Wait until just after blooms if necessary.

March....1st application of Espoma Rose tone, manure, bone meal.

June....Espoma Rose Tone (and then manure, optional) If I have the time and the manure I give a shovelful per plant, but never let it touch the stems)

September....Espoma Rose tone, (manure optional)
Suzy

You can use any Rose or Tomato fertilizer. I use both & have been for years. Fertilize once a month or after each flush of flowers. I second not fertilizing while in bloom.

Hi...
I just planted a "Blue Lights" clematis, and checked it this morning and it's not doing too well.
It was about 2 1/2 inches tall when I transplanted it, now this AM I see the top part is beginning to turn dark.
Should I pinch off the darker part?
I have it planted where there is garden fabric withing 2 inches of it.
Can anybody maybe help me save this plant.
I would appreciate it.
Should I put some Rose Tome on it?
I will buy what ever I need to help it.
Lynne