Back in March I purchased a Belle of Woking at a big box store so I could try Jeanne's method of cutting it back to promote lush growth:
"Prune down to the lowest pair of growth buds in early Spring..then you pinch out the tops of each new shoot after it has grown 2 pair of leaves..Pinch out again once these new leave have also made two pair of leaves."
So here's Belle, ready for her first pinching - this is the first of seven photos to show the progress.
Here's the "after pinching" photo and you can see the pinched portion at the top of the soil.
March 27th - new leaves!
March 31st - look at how it grew in just a few days.
April 2nd - such nice new growth!
April 13th - I probably should have cut it back for the second time before this but I finally did it. Here's the "before" photo:
April 13th - you can see the two pieces I cut off.
I'm feeding it with only tepid water with Epsom Salt to see if there will be new basal breaks.
I'll keep tabs on it all season long and it will go outside in early May.
Arlene
Great thread. I have book marked this one and am quite anxious to see the progress.
Carolyn
Thanks Arlene for sharing this method of pinching to encourage lush growth with B.o.W. clem. What is the concentration of the Epsom salt to water do you use?
Thanks, Carolyn. I'm very curious to see how full it will get.
Kim - we cross posted, sorry!
One tablespoon of Epsom Salt to one gallon of tepid water. I use it for coleus and all indoor plants.
Thank you Arlene, the method works like a charm!!! Thanks for sharing.
Kim
I'm so curious to see if there will be new leaves within four days as it did last time!
That encourages me to try with my newly planted AG clem. Perhaps a little Epsom salt will jump start the delicate little beauty. Look again at the leaves that of 'Fireworks' Clem. next to the finer texture leaves of AG clem.
One of my eight newest arrivals is 'Ashva' and it, too, has the delicate, small leaves. Seeing the success I've had with cutting back, I think I will do that with all new arrivals.
A little drink (like a quart) won't hurt your clematis, Kim, and should promote new growth despite the fact I do not see any new stems on Belle.
Oh, great thread pirl! I have several new ones that I am going to try this on!
It's been such fun, Sue! I check it daily since it's in the bay window in here and can't believe how excited I am when I spot new growth. Some other house plants in this window will have to be relocated to make room for all the new clematises so I can pinch all except those with buds.
Looks very good Pirl! I'm going to try this on Omo. Thanks for the series of photos showing the progression.
Thanks, Louise.
I'd never have been brave enough to try it with any of the expensive ones but for this "el cheapo" I figured I had nothing to lose.
Maybe I'll clean off the house plants now and get all the good clematises in place. It would be nice to visit with them each morning and all through the day when I come in to sit at the computer. I just might take a few photos!
Great job Pirl, I bought a couple Clematis's from Wal-Mart that only has one root so it says, when I transplanted it today, it didn't have much root plus the stem is almost gone. do you think it will have a chance to live?
If you planted it deep, gave the earth a good amount of manure and compost, gave the plant some Bone Meal and maybe some Rose or Tomato Food, mulched it well and watered it, then it has some chance. A lot will depend on the roots it had. It can develop new stems so have faith, watch the plant and give us another report to let us know how it's doing. Don't let it dry out but don't drench it either.
Thanks Pirl , By the way how's your eye's doing?
This message was edited Apr 14, 2011 10:12 PM
Left eye is great, right eye will have cataract surgery May 11th. Can't wait for it to be all done. Thanks for asking, roseycats.
Arlene, you've inspired me to garden the right way. I gave these tomatoes a drink of Epsom salt today. I mixed one teaspoon to a galon water and drench most of my newly planted container plants. lol. Oh I transplanted some Artichokes into pots and did the same thing today. Will report its effect soon.
BTW, the tomatoes is in a "Upsy Downey" hanging basket.
Thanks. I just enjoy gardening and Epsom Salt is certainly an inexpensive way to help a plant.
I haven't tried the topsy-turvy tomatoes yet. Did you plant a cherry tomato or a full size one?
I tried one of those last year with cherry tomatoes. It just curled back on itself and grew upright.
I have high hopes for my clems this year. Lots and lots of help can be found here. Thanks, all of you!
I was impatient trying to grow the from the package seeds they included in the kit. But I followed their instruction to plant regular size 'Big Boy' on the bottom hanging, and cherry tomatoes on the tops. And already I've flowers and tiny fruits from the cherry tomatoe. Look;
Kwanjin - nice to have you with us for the clematis fun.
Kim - Good old sunny Alabama! Our plants are grown from seed, downstairs and under lights, and now stand tall at about 1 to 2" tall right now with no thoughts of flowers or fruit in mind!
Which cherry tomato? My favorite is Sweet 100. We've tried others but for us we just prefer that one. They seldom make it to the kitchen.
Bingo! Sweet 100 that's the one. I'll need to sign off the pc. Storm is heading our way. See y'all tomorrow hopefully. Stay safe and takecare those of us on the path of the storm. Later Arlene.
Normally I'm very hesitant to mention the name of a tomato, except for the Voting Booth, but those Sweet 100's have been so superb for so many years and though we've tried others, like the yellow pear and the Sweet One Million, nothing beats Sweet 100 for us.
Stay safe, Kim. It's sunny here and I'll get outside when the mowing/blowing/edging brigade is done.
After more than a two month pause on this thread I can now report that new leaves are forming where I had pinched them back on April 13th and then moved Belle to a pot. She went outdoors and seems happy. I assume she was too busy making roots to make more leaves in the last two months.
Here she is, potted, just after pinching.
And here are the new bright green leaves as she enjoys life outside.
Here she comes, Belle of Woking. Make room for the beauty. Thanks Arlene for the update.
I still have to catch up with my clematis blooms for this year, Kim, but was happy to see the new growth. This was the finest year ever for my old Belles!
I'm so glad the season has proven a good one for you. Looking forward to see more as you have time to catch up.
It's been too cool and several clem's haven't bloomed at all - highly disappointing.
This spring is one unsual one is for sure. I've had many early blooming perennials, then now it's a heat wave. One thing though, May was the usual peak season for most of my clems. I'm still hoping the AG clem. will surprise me with some bud this year. But I doubt it would.
I hope AG surprises you with a few blooms, Kim.
Happy update today! I think I spot a bud. This will be the tiniest Belle of Woking ever, I'd guess, and my instinct tells me to remove it but my curiosity won't allow it.
Aww, Arlene, I can see how that could be a delima. Remove it to let its energy to grow bigger, but sacrifice the tiny blooms. Awwwww....
It's all been an experiment anyhow, Kim, so I'll let it bloom but I might need a microscope to see it.
