Baby clems from the not-a-coop with Evey

Since this was a not-a-coop, we don't have a chat thread, so I thought I'd start one here. Well, that and I need help knowing what to do with these little ones. I have all my clems currently in gallon pots in the "clem nursery" on the patio (cool and morning sun only) and most of them will be permanently planted soon, but I obviously don't have time to grow these out before winter. I red somewhere that ClematisGuru has a "liner method" of growing that will help them with crummy soil (like my pottery-quality clay) but I couldn't find anything about it. Also I gather there's been some kind of falling out on this forum so maybe I shouldn't even bring that up?

Anyway, here they are, straight outta the box, complete with chopsticks and pink umbrella :) One of them looks like it even grew on the way!

Those look really good! Better than anything I've bought this year. Mine are due tomorrow - can't wait.

Yay! I'm so glad they traveled safely. But they look thirrrrrrsty! Those are 3-year-old liners, so they should be able to go in the ground with winter protection (like a rose cone). If you would prefer to grow them out in a larger pot over the winter, plant them in a soil mix of 50 percent peat, 25 percent sharp sand, and 25 percent perlite or vermiculite. You'll want to keep them out of direct sunlight (but provide indirect light) for the first 5-7 days after you repot them. Keep them well-watered by thoroughly watering every 3 days or so... not daily or it can cause fungus to form. To promote faster root growth, you can even heat the bottom of the pots to encourage the roots to go deeper. A home heating pad on the low setting works really well for this! (Just don't water them with the heating pad underneath!!!)

Evey!!..Mine arrived too and I am so thankful to you for letting me in on this...you are an absolute sweetheart and they are GORGEOUS...were Awesomely Packaged,so securely and so Happy to be here..How can I ever thank you my friend..you are #1 with me...will gladly be in your not-a-coop forever..hugzzzzzz...Jeanne
ps...can you see my kitty...Nickie was excited too..he was looking at them in the sink as I took their first baby pic!!

Evey, I too, have happy little ones out of their snug home and out in the gentle rain. They do look gorgeous....thanks ever so.....Kim

Mine are home, too. All are healthy and happy. Like grrlgeek, I need to decide where they will be happiest over the winter.

Thank you, Evey, for a nice not-a-coop!

Judy

Hope this means mine are waiting for me when I get home.
So what is a "liner"?
What can I substitute for sharp sand?
Thanks Evey
Janie

They were here and they look really good!

This message was edited Sep 2, 2009 6:28 PM

How exciting! They look just wonderful. I can't wait until mine arrive.

Janie, you can use aquarium sand if you have an aquarium supply store nearby. I use it in my containers for alpine plants and it never clumps.

Nice to see you, Jeanne, and I hope to see more of Nickie in the next photo.

Evey, Mine arrived today and they look great. Thanks so much.
Arlene

Now I'm really anxious to get mine!

I hope mine get here tomorrow. Everyone's look so healthy and happy! Does actual beach sand count as sharp sand?

Great to see you here Jeanne!

Yes, I echo Louise's comment, great to have you back, Jeanne!

Jeanne, I have missed your posts terribly. Please give us a garden update! We all LOVE your tours and are anxious for more of your gorgeous blooms!!!

I'm so glad everybody's babies are arriving healthy and happy. YAY! =)

Can I use crushed granite instead of sand? I get it for my container mix from the feed store. The last bag I got was "layer grit", it's just plain crushed granite.

How fine is it? The general idea is to provide a good drainage and ample aeration for the roots to develop. Regular sand will get too heavy and clump together too much.

It's very irregular, and closer to small gravel than sand.

Mine are due today and I can't wait. They look great.

I used perlite in with the Miracle Gro soil and manure and bone meal. Right or wrong?

Pirl, in the ground or in a pot? Miracle Gro potting soil or garden soil? Their formulas are very different.

Grrlgeek, if you're planning to overwinter in the mix, I think your babies will be happier with a finer grit than what you're describing. Have you tried balling it with the other parts of the soil to see the result?

In the ground. I make a hole then add my mix of MG, perlite, manure, etc.

Sounds like you will have very happy clems, Pirl. I'm sure you already know in the colder regions that you want to stimulate the root growth in fall as opposed to the top growth, so you'll want to avoid too much nitrogen at this time of year. But in spring time, a balanced medium term fertilizer like Osmocote 15-9-12 or Nutricote 18-6-8 will help them take off like gangbusters!

By MG I did mean Miracle Gro soil, just to make it clear.

My clems arrived, happy and healthy and they're all soaking now.



This message was edited Aug 23, 2010 11:14 AM

Great job Evey. Mine got here today also. They are healthy, perky and looking like they will enjoy their home on the east coast. Thank you so much!!

I also got a clem book I ordered today from USPS. It's a very clemmie kind of day!

I haven't used the grit with regular soil yet. I was using it as part of my container mix, which does not ball at all. It's pine fines, grit/perlite, peat, and osmocote. Obviously a little loose for the clems, but I was thinking of working the grit into the clay at the bottom of the hole. It's very sharp and shouldn't compact, and is big enough not to make concrete with the clay.

Then it sounds like it should work fine, grrrl. From what you've said, it sounds like a fine substitute for this purpose! =)

Evey - just opened the box and they look great!! Awesome packing job - not one leaf was disturbed. Thank you so much. Off to water and take care of these babies. The loops look interesting - thank you!

I should have mentioned the packaging, too. It really was perfect.

You're welcome... Only one more day of delivery to go. I hope everybody's on the west coast arrive safely too! Thanks, everybody, for letting me know they have arrived safely. Y'all are tops!

Mine should arrive tomorrow when Sue's here. Poor girlie's going to be very disappointed at having been on vacation when this offer was made.

Mine came today and they were perfect. The packaging was amazing. You did a fabulous job.

I have company and I didn't have time for more than unpacking and watering but I they seem happy in my "growing out"
area.

LOL, Book, you should have seen the lady's face when I was at the Asian market looking for the chopsticks. She asked why I wanted to get them bulk and I said, "Oh, for some clematis!" Poor woman... I really confused her. I wonder what she was imagining from that statement!

ROTFL about the chopsticks! They all look absolutely fabulous! So healthy! Can't wait for mine to get here! Am actually making DH help me build a log gazebo in the yard now, so we have a new home for some of them! He's thrilled, I'm sure. wink, wink!

The lever loops were a big surprise. Thank you. I am out and have been using hair clips from the dollare store.

I love the Asian market. I go every couple of weeks. The fish tanks and crab barrels keep my husband occupied while I shop in peace.

For any lurkers or anyone who meant to order but didn't, here's a photo of the clems as they arrived :

This message was edited Aug 23, 2010 11:15 AM

And one of the clems:

My clematis looked great too when they arrived and one had a bit of new growth on it. The packaging was amazing. It felt like Christmas has I opened each bag.

Great job, Evey and thanks again.

Y'all are so welcome (a little Southern drawl coming through there)!

I'm happy the chopsticks did the trick keeping them safe. As for the loops, I am now wondering how I ever gardened without them. I have been using them with all my climbers. It's so much easier to just slip those on or off rather than the whole tape or tie process.

The clips are amazing....where do I get them (I think I saw them in another thread)? Love the pics; just what mine look(ed) like....thanks again Evey ! Kim

Kim, you've got dmail. =)

Mine arrive yesterday! Thank you so much and you did such an awesome job packing them. I am hoping to get mine planted tonight since we are "supposed" to get some rain
this weekend