Hi ! Personally I put them in the ground. I do horribly at keeping after pots very long. They are slow growing anyway for the most part and need to get their roots going . All of mine are planted next to or near roses . Someone with better wording can help with this but the roots are in the ground anyway and cool so I don't think you have to really worry about shading them. Just put a little mulch on top. One thing I found interesting from joy creek nursery website was to plant it at a 45 degree angle to encourage more shoots . I had never heard that so I'm hoping it works .

Everyone has varying results and different philosophy's . I plant rose bands right in the ground too , and never have trouble . A lot of people keep them in pots a while. Sometimes you have to do what's best for you! Of course if you don't know where you want them go for the pots :)

I have done both with small mail order plants and most often prefer letting them grow on in pots for fall/next spring planting. When they are potted I sink the pot in a holding bed so don't have to worry about pot drying as quickly. This way the small plants are all in one place and don't get forgotten.

Most of my clematis are from Donahue's as we live within 30 miles and attend their spring open house to buy gal sized plants in bloom. Also most of the nurseries in this area buy starter plants from them to grow to gal size before selling and supplying to big box stores. The small plants that I mail ordered from Donahue's were good quality and grew well.

Burying the pot is a great idea. I have allowed pots to dry out on occasion.

I put mine right in the ground too and they do great. Some take off instantly but not many but by the next year they grow like gang busters. I too am no good with pots and I do pot up some tiny roses just so I don't forget about them but clematis seem to fair pretty well planted straight in the ground even my smaller plants.

Unless the plants are a gallon size or larger already, I always pot up for a season before planting directly in the ground. IME, small clematis are just too vulnerable to damage, especially stem damage, if planted immediately. Plus, I like to wait until they have already developed a generous and healthy root system before inground planting.

But I also grow extensively in containers with a wide range plants, including full sized clems, so attending to containers is just a routine garden practice for me :-)) YMMV

I am not good at keeping things in pots over time, so I plant right into the ground.

Thanks everyone. My main reason for wanting to plant in the pot was to give if more sun in a different location than its permanent until it is taller. Will the clematis grow up toward the light in full shade or just be stunted?

I kept some in pots and planted some in shade. One in shade is not doing much, but one has grown 6 in 2 weeks. Looks like it will reach the top of the container that is blocking its direct sun soon.

It made it over the top of the pot. It is climbing over the Eden rose now and should get more sun.

All of my Clematis (except for 2 planted in the ground) are grown in large, weather-resistant pots and containers. They are over-wintered in my Shed, and right now are doing extremely well. I grow both Group 2 and Group 3 Clematis. I have a total of 18 Clematis and have very pleased with how they have performed in containers.

Maximus -- Since you're in zone 7, why do you bother with the shed? I leave mine out all winter, and they do fine. I can see doing that in zone 5 or maybe even zone 6, but it seems like wasted effort for our zone.

The one that made it through the shade and over the pot Samaritan Jo looks like it might have a bud.

But I dug up Rhapsody and put it back in a pot in a sunny spot because it did not look happy. I think it was starting to get powdery mildew. Hope it recovers.

Samaritan Jo 1st bloom

Doncha love that suspense when they're just about to open and then just starting to open, and you can't wait to see what they're actually going to look like? :-)

I pot up tiny starts that I have mail ordered. Otherwise they get lost in my garden.