I think it has been 3-4 weeks since I fertilized some plants such as Polish Spirit, Ville De Lyon, Etoile Violette and John Huxable....there are no flower buds started yet so would now be a good time to fertilize again with rose food? Or is it still too soon? Should I just forget about fertilizing them again? The plants are growing great right now - I just don't want to over fertilize them if you know what I mean.
How often should I fertilize the babies I put in the ground this year....they were ferlized about the same time ago....3-4 weeks....should they be fertilized again as well?
This message was edited Jun 12, 2009 5:24 AM
Yes yet another ferlizing question....
i would fertilize again every 2 or 3 weeks till bud formation. nursery fertilize weekly or with every watering. so a weak application every 2 weeks till buds set.clems are heavy feeders.
Oh great thanks...this will be the first year I have fertilized the older ones more than once and well....same for the young ones. Perfect.
fertilizing and keeping up watering in the late season are two things that really helped me with the clems. i used to back off on that late season deep watering if the plants were green, or thinking the rain was enough in sept and oct. by oct even once a week deep watering had made a huge difference. and the fall fertilization hugely important.
I don't understand the fall fertilizing at all though...isn't that making the plant grow when it should be getting ready to sleep? Not only that but a lot of my clematis are still blooming up until frost time??? Can you explain for me please?
the fall fertlilizing is so important so that the moment the plant starts breaking dormancy under the ground, before you even see it on top of the ground, that there are well dispersed nutrients available and that the plant has also stored those nutrients in the fall.
this is my understanding......
Hmmm interesting. thanks.
In Texas, the experts always recommend planting in the fall to establish roots.I guess it is the same idea.
if i could only do one fertilizing a year on clems i would probably do the fall. this was key learning for me to do it and i saw a lot of improvements when i started it. my frrst few years in clems i was not paying attention in the fall.
Well for example when abouts would be your last feeding in the fall? How long before your frost date??
i usually do it end oct, or early nov. i do not know frost date...i have rarely some clems still blooming as late as thanksgiving on a warm year.
i kind of go by weather, not sure how that would translate to your area. viewing today especially!
CG, so what specifically do you do? Miracle Gro for Roses on roots? Sprayed on entire clem with the hose end attachment? Your epsom salt/beer concoction? Some other mixture? I have added 20+ clematis this summer (thanks to you all!) and I want to do everything to get them off to a great start!!!
Nanc
i use gro power "bloom and gro" and formula, granular in fall and spring. use ironite concentrate in water as boost growing during season, usually just poured, but i have used a foliar watering spray with ironite this year with no problems. i use the epson salt, or my epsom/ beer recipe maybe twice, sometimes once a season after spring rains when the ground is becoming dryer.
i have never used miracle gro for roses but have used some bayer for roses.
i bought miracle gro this year for some annuals i put out, but have to remember to use it on them more often!
also top dress with composted material at least 2 times a year......
Thanks CG. I have copied your recomendations into a "fertilizing clems" folder. Is the gro power "bloom & gro" something you have found locally? Sorry if these are repeat explanations...seems that sometime/somewhere I have read this before...?? I promise I will copy it down this time!
no problem. not available locally i order the bloom and gro from "high country gardens". would love something similar i didn't have to order, but have not found anything. this is recommended by the american clem society which is why i tried it in the first place.