Love it my chuckle for the day

I would cut back hard now. Large flowered hybrid clematis benefit from hard pruning their first couple of seasons in the ground to encourage a strong, robust root system and to increase stem breaks from the root crown. And January is NOT the time for this vine to be putting out a lot of growth, located in Texas or not!

Thanks gardengal. I did not put fertilizer when I planted.it was brown twigswith roots. ... maybe it just likes Texas or more probably is confused about what season is occurring. The other 2 basal stems look week so your advice makes sense.Though I am very experienced with roses this is my first venture with clematis. Do you suppose I could wait until I prune the Climber, that would be
V Day for us.

Austin, I am 2 hours south of you.........I have found Valentines Day is a good all around time to prune. Our weather is so variable that you might think the coast is clear as far as freezing weather, then suddenly you get zapped. Things can change quickly. I have pruned my clems a little early with no problem but I honestly dont think it makes much difference if you wait. The little leaf buds dont start to swell until January is over, mostly. I only have 1 potted one right now that looks like it is swelling......but with the near freezing night temps we have been having, it has shut down. I might prune about a week earlier than the roses, just to get it done but not doing it right now. 3 more weeks! I am putting out Mills Magic Rose Mix and alfalfa pellets now. I give the clems some too.

Judith

Austinkisses, in case you don’t know Clematis are pruned according to a set of rules. At least that is what it says at the bottom of the page in the fine print…..

Rule 1: Called Type A or 1 Blooms on Old Wood

Prune after Bloom. Only when needed

Rule 2: Called Type B or 2 Blooms on Both

In March remove Dead Wood

Rule 3: Called Type C or 3 Blooms on New Wood

In March prune back to buds 12” from the Ground

Best to find out what type you have before pruning….

Another tip is that their roots like to go straight down so dig a deep hole.

Hope that helps…..

Not rules......only guidelines :-) You can opt never to prune your clems or you can prune them when and how you wish. All it will do at most is affect the bloom time........almost impossible to kill or seriously damage any clematis by pruning or not pruning!

btw, the pruning groups (not "rules") are determined by when that vine blooms. Pruning group 1 clems are early blooming species (before May) that flower on old growth. Pruning group 2 are the large flowered hybrids that typically start blooming in May and flower on a mix of old and new growth. Pruning group 3 are late flowering species and hybrids (typically late July or early August into fall or beyond) that bloom on the current season's growth.

And you can prune when your time and weather permits. I grow too many and so I doss out my pruning chores at different times. I cut back a bunch in late fall as I didn't want to stare at dead vines and leaves all winter :-) Otherwise I prune when I see the buds start to swell......February into March. And with the group 3's you can go even later into the season if you wish

Thanks tool, appreciate info. As it happens, I am a voracious reader and investigated so many references on google that I am now getting weird ads resulting from my searches... not to mention hounding all Houzz posters for their advice & personal experience. I also debated for months on which plants to select. Yes I can be OC, Melvin (Jack Nicholson) has nothing on me.

Alameda thanks my other clems have short green stems but will cut perle back when I do Abe.. yes I was fooled a couple of years with our pretty January days.... I thought I had learned my lesson but then that glorious sunshine hit Dallas this past weekend and I cut a little to much on a couple of big roses that I was placing on new supports. Had trouble containing myself...Yesterday I realize how stupid, so I ordered freeze blankets from amazon for them.

Do you know Steve Penner? He has a farm in your area. Might be closer to Nac - he has other homes so not always in residence. He is a bit older than I am but his wife is much younger. Both super nice

Gardengal appreciate your post. unfortunately my personality loves rules when I start a new venture in the garden. Funny it is opposite in my designing, however I am sure I followed to a fault, what I was taught in school, when I first began my design career. I cant wait to enjoy these new clematis everyone who grows them seems as excited about them as they are about roses.

Another thing, they like their roots shaded.

The actuality is they like a consistently moist root run. While shading the root zone can help with that, a good layer of mulch will achieve the same thing.

Been growing a wide range of clems for more than 40 years. Was even a sales rep for a period of time for one of the largest wholesale growers of clematis on the west coast.......one that supplies many of the local clematis specialty nurseries.

Austin, dont know Steve - he has Arabians, right? When I unintentionally transitioned into Miniature Horses, I found little time to keep up with what went on with the Arabians except keeping up with my friends. I will ask some of my friends if they know him. Does he show?

What I am doing with my clems, at least until they really develop a large root system, is to prune them all back in Feb. I am most interested, at this point, in getting them to develop really big root systems. When they get about an 8" diameter [approx.] of root system, I will start pruning as to their type. One that I need to get out of a pot this year, that has really gotten strong and large [and I got because of the rave reviews] is Margaret Hunt. Niobe is a heavy bloomer, Mrs. Chomondeley has huge blooms, Ernest Markham is excellent, I adore the colors on HF Young..........there are so many beautiful ones! Princess Kate is new ............I need to get these potted ones in the ground.......oh, and Monte Casino planted near Pretty Lady Rose and Plum Perfect was spectacular! Have a good photo but need to learn how to transfer photos from my iPhone to my computer.......

Judith

Gardengal, what a great job! Do you have any particular favorites? I too have found a good mulch works just fine. I have what I think is an old Violet Charm under an oak tree that blooms its head off, others do great in hot Texas sun. Such a versatile plant and so gorgeous when in full bloom!

GG no better reward than working in a field you love. It fills all holes left through life and circumstances.
Alameda -no Steve doesn’t do horses, just a regular old successful businessman. He used to have some longhorn cattle he was pretty proud of. Thanks for clem listings, I just copied and pasted that list. This is gonna be fun wish they bloomed longer

Austin, do you have daylilies? They are a glorious addition to blooming plants in May - June. Check out Mark Carpenters "The Lily Farm" - its in Center, near me. Been going for years. 5 acres of blooming confections that occur just after the roses are finishing their first flush. In my area, can have something blooming pretty much all the time. Spring starts with daffodils, then pears, redbud, wisteria, start jasmine, chinese fringe trees, bridal wreath, etc. Do you have any Lady Banksia roses? I edge one side of my driveway with the pale yellows - so wonderful!

You have the advantage of more space. In my city lot I primarily plant what will give me the most-- color, beauty, smells, pleasure-- for the longest time. To that end I only have Stella or her sisters (boring I know) . I like the balance the vertical strap leaves give to the garden so I also have bearded. The bearded multiply so thickly that they get fungus and I do not have anywhere left to move them. My friends do not garden. My bearded are remondant so can take more water so are/were in between the roses. I have moved them recently to make room for more roses for this year. Lady B was always a little to wild for me when I was in H with more space. She is a beauty when well grown, I bet yours is lovely. I grow my Austin’s as climbers because of limited space and they bloom almost all year. I am getting so many metal obliques and arches it is beginning to look like I am in the metal business. I find it is easy to create beauty in my garden in spring, but late July is iffy and August and early Sept are a true challenge. Echinacea and the smaller salvias anchor me those months both being so happy in our heat.

I recommend Sweet Olive as tree or shrub is you do not already have them. To my nose there is no sweeter fragrance. Mine are setting blooms right now.

Will try that - can always use another tree! Will ask nursery in Nac that has good selection of plants. In 2011 when we had the historic drought, I made a list of plants that can tolerate our terribly hot summers. Let me know if you would like it. Have you tried Chinese Fringe Tree? It isnt huge and has the most gorgeous white flowers.

Yes used in Houston need sun in this garden. My Sweet Olive are now to top of my 2 storyhouse around fence and with my hydrangea. . I trimmed them up as trees. They have nice dark green shiny leaves but growth pattern can get gangly without trimming. Their blooms are small but pack a big punch. My neighbors comment on fragrance when they pass my house dog walking. It truly is exquisite, blooms come off and on all year. My guess is they will like your location better than D. probably bloom more. I protected mine from temps that went into teens for several days that came their second winter but have had no need after that. Plant them and everything else with PLANT SUCCESS —- a magic product —-better than all others in its product class. Order it online from their website. You will thank me for this next year. That product is why my baby clem is now 7’ tall and as wide as of todays check.

Can always use a list of any plants u have had success with... open to trying new if culture and size work for my space. Also would like to try everblooming shorter daylily you favor. Thank you.

" BTW please be careful that you don’t trip over your robe when you mount those stairs to your throne. "

Nice little bit of unnecessary sarcasm there. Are you really that threatened by others that may have a greater knowledge base than yours that you feel compelled to try and bring them down?? That's kind of sad.

There are a lot of myths that are associated with growing clematis, the frequently stated "need shaded roots" being one of them. If you can keep the root run sufficiently moist, the roots can be in full-on, all day sun!

hey tool I have read that advice on the roots Garden gal shared in many places and got the same input from Silver Star and Brushwood. Be nice :)) That was said in a friendly way in case the smiley did not come over. Please I really do appreciate the time you took to input and the information - that goes for everyone.... in the end we all do what works best for us through trial and error.

gardengal the biggest myth I heard about clematis was that they did not like to grow in Texas. I was shocked so many here grew them so successfully, even apparently in Houston. They have always been a favorite in pictures - how could they not be when you grow roses..... a great pairing, so excited about them.

Here is a list I compiled of blooming plants that do well for me in the heat of summer. Bear in mind........these might not do well for everyone, but they work for me. I would think they would do well in any hot climate. My clematis have always done just fine with extra mulch/composted horse mature put on the base of the crown - same as I do for my roses. When I first started growing them, I put the proverbial stone over the roots to keep them shaded. When I realized it didnt make any difference, I just used the mulch. I just bought 3 more at Tractor Supply this afternoon. [Nelly Moser, Jackmanii and Rouge Cardinal]......needed some special feed for one of my older horses - came out with that, 3 clematis and 3 roses - Tiffany, that I had been wanting, 2 Sally Holmes, 1 for a friend. Same with Walmart - found 3 Lavender Crush I had to have........good thing every store I go into doesnt have roses! Hope this list helps!

SUMMER PLANT LIST:

periwinkles [Pacifica red is great]

angelonia – dark purple and white show up best

purselane/portulaca [does well in pots] – edging in hot sun

hibiscus [tropical] – in pots or planted in ground

lantana – New Gold is not as invasive

mandavilla – climbing vine, loves hot sun

plumbago

canna

Sun Coleus

profusion zinnas [like white & yellow

gomphrena [combo: orange marigolds or profusion zinnias w/ purple gomphrena] Fireworks is lovely – tall and spreads

zinnas from seed [spray for mildew]

salvia – perennial greggii [put in drifts or rows] - Blue farnicia

esperanza Gold Bells - sun cant get hot enough for this one, blooms constantly

blue daze

Lady In Red salvia [overwintered well in pot in greenhouse in 2011-

Celosia cristata – cockscomb celosia – loves heat

Mexican Honeysuckle – justinicia

Mexican heather

Mexican Cosmos [tithonia] – hard to find, was at ARE

Jerusalem sage

potato vine [use new bronze color with fall blooming plants]

grasses: purple fountain grass ,asparagus fern, ornamental peppers

I have Nelly coming from Brushwood. Tiffany was a rose I grew in my youth. I attempted to plant all roses ARS roses rated 8 and above; oh so long ago, makes me nostalgic. Think I will try rabbit poo this year, read good things about it. Poly used to give her composted manure away to rosarians back in the day. She grew many roses herself but had more manure than she could ever use. Thanks for the list, it will be helpful. I grow or have ground many of them but several slipped my mind so this is good reminder. Dallas arboretum website is a good source for finding newer heat tolerant varieties of plants; research has brought great improvements to many. I used to visit their test gardens faithfully to see what appealed to me. I really envy you your space but truthfully my “lack of” is a Godsend as it fits me better now.
Amazing you get these clems and roses locally. It is like needles in haystack finding them in Dallas, esp since RRD hit us so hard.
BR

I have found my clems at Lowes and Tractor Supply and even Walmart. They come in little bags and they are very tiny so I pot them up. Feel I am better off ordering from places like Brushwood, Silver Star, Joy, etc. as they have much better root systems, more bang for the buck. But I enjoy growing and playing with these at the start of the growing season.

A good friend that I infected with "roseitis" the last couple of years has a bunch of gorgeous roses, mostly in pots. He didnt know any better so started fertilizing with triple 13 [just a sprinkle] every couple of weeks. His roses took off like rockets! He faithfully sprays. I have all these fertilizers - sometimes I put them on, many times not, but that triple 13 is easy to toss out. I started doing that a bit last year and saw a difference. Going to start putting it on the clems too. I read somewhere they also like tomato fertilizer.

I dont see any freezing temps, unless something happens, in my area. Am making myself wait to prune but am going to put out alfalfa pellets, cottonseed meal, Mills Magic Rose Mix. I am a member of the Houston Rose Society - its members get 15% off during rose appreciation week Feb. 9-16 at the "Neiman Marcus" of garden centers there, Southwest Fertilizer, so am going to shop! All the nurseries that sell roses do this too. Dont know if this would apply to any of you, but thought I would mention it. RCW Nursery has an excellent selection of potted roses - I make this trip yearly and meet a good friend for nursery shopping and a mexican food lunch!

"gardengal the biggest myth I heard about clematis was that they did not like to grow in Texas."

And that is clearly not true, either :-) Texas is home to several species of clematis, so you can certainly find them and their hybrids that will do well for you without much fuss and bother. And here is a link to an article on growing clems in Texas (written by a Texan) that should provide a wider range of recommended choices: A Texan's Guide to Clematis

I think I mentioned on some post that I was a voracious reader... I should have added researcher... to a fault; resulting in overthinking everything. Thank u for that reference as it happens, I found that article when I first saw posts on garden-web from Texans about clematis. It carried me forward to where I am now. Whether information is known or new, I am always overwhelmed by everyone taking the time to impart what works for them and what they think may help another. If we only elected dedicated gardeners to political office maybe our government would be less contentious. :))

Alameda - if you are still looking for a sprayer I bought my first battery sprayer from SouthWest Fertilizer during their February sale. It was on wheels, very affordable and worked great for many years. It cost significantly less than my current one from SpotShot. Ben posted he uses the My4Sons sprayer with the cart, which I have my eye on if mine gives issues. Yes it is a bit pricy but I “betcha“ you will never regret it if you do much spraying. For me the only negatives in gardening was dealing with clogged ill working sprayers.

Thank you for that heads up!! What brand of sprayer did you get at SW Fertilizer? I had my eye last year on a pricey but good pair of hedge trimmers - similar to a very fine pair of japanese ones. Like you, these @#$@@#$ clogged up sprayers drive me nuts. You start a project - and I do not mind spraying - then there is some problem that you cant do what you started. Would love to find a hassle free one! Ben suggested a couple - was waiting to see how Moses liked his Scott's and did want to see what SW had before I bought anything. With all the technology in the world, you would think someone could come up with a decent sprayer!!

I think SW made their own version back then based on what rosarians said they wanted in a sprayer. I really liked mine. I read and researched the Scotts and it would not be for me. Several negatives that I feel could be an issue. But hey Mosses may prove me wrong. Ben said his My4Sons has never given problem or clogged and that is my main goal with a sprayer. Mine is 10 yrs old never had a clog no matter how thick my product nor ever lost pressure. The My4 has some improvements over my existing sprayer, the mist spray bring one. My Spotshot fans nicely but no mist. Unfortunately I found the better the sprayer the more it usually cost.

I have found - you get what you pay for. Am going to see what SW Fertilizer has to offer - may just go with My 4 Sons and buy myself an early birthday gift. My goal, like yours, is a hassle free product that will leave me free to spray my roses with ease and not spend more time messing with a sprayer than I do spraying the roses!

Sprayer was best money I ever spent. I am thankful for it every time I spray.