I've tried clems before and am not very successful with them but I'll keep trying till I get better.
So having lost the last bunch from this past spring, I ponied up and chose a few more. They should arrive this coming week.
I bought in 3's to hedge my bets. The varieties are Bee's Jubilee, Arabella and Piilu (Little Duckling). They're in small pots, so should I ease them up a container size or plant them in the ground when I get them? The location I want them in will be in my front flower bed that faces more south than east but gets full sun. I had intended to plant them along the back near the brick of my building with TB iris in most of the rest of the bed. I do have daffodils in there and some lilies. I bought a couple sections of black metal fencing from Lowe's that I was going to lean up behind them so they can scramble up the section of fencing/gate.
I'm hoping that the iris will help keep the roots shaded and cool so they'll do better.
Does that sound like something that would work? They will be in a fairly dry area under the eaves so I would have to hand water with the watering can often but I have to do that anyway as our apt doesn't have or allow garden hose/spigot access since they pay water:lol:
Fall planting questions
That should work. Don't be suprised if the ones you planted and thought you lost come back. I thought I lost Rebecca when I moved and it bloomed this year. I also went back to my old house and pulled up 4 clems I thought disappeared the spring before (I am the owner and I rent the house so I can do that)
Never give up on a clem. Just when you think all is lost it will come back.
How big are the clems you purchased? If they are in liner pots, then I would plant them into larger pots and heel them in for the winter and lifted in the summer. I always wait until the roots start coming out of the bottom of a gallon sized pot before I plant the clem directly into the soil. Also, when you do plant your clems, make sure you plant the a couple of inches deeper than they are planted into the pots and at a 45 degree angle. This will help to promote more basal stem growth and more stems/vines, means more flowers. Also, make sure you use plenty of bone meal when planting your clems as this will help to enable good root development.
Your Arabella is a group 3 integrefolia. Piilu and Bees Jubilee are type 2's, so they have different pruning characteristics. All three of your plants should be pruned back when planting so the plants can direct their energies on root development. Next year, I would look more closely at the pruning schedules.
Bookreader is right. Clems are notorious for not coming up or dying back to the ground and skipping a season or two before showing up again. Just water the area like you normally would. I have had it happen with some of my clems as well.
My concern about planting the TBI with the clems is that the iris like to be on the drier side, whereas the clems like the soil a bit more on the damper side. I know when we have had wetter than normal springs, I tend to battle a fungus with my iris and I have to cut them back and spray them with fungicide so I don't lose the iris and sometimes I do end up losing the iris anyway.
I don't mean to sound so negative. Just trying to help.
Not taking it as a negative at all=) That's the sort of thing I need to think about or learn. My bed tends to stay on the dry side and I have to water with a watering can anyway so I was of the mind that aside from regular rainfall I pretty much control the water and would just hit the clems with the brunt of the watering. I have a really huge container next to the front door with a trellis that I could put one of them in eventually.
The plants are in 4 in pots bigger than liners but still small. The sale I'm getting them from mentions that they are 2 yr old plants. I think I'm going with the container, heeled in for the winter idea just to be on the safe side. Thanks for the advice about the hide and seek nature of new clems too:lol: I had them in containers and tried not to over or under water them but they sort of evaporated. I left the pots where they were and haven't fiddled with them but I'll still give them a hit of water and see what happens. Can't hurt to give it a try!
Carolyn, would the 45% angle be facing forward away from a trellis or backwards angled towards a trellis? And since the spot tends to be dry, would it be OK to put a sprinkling of watersorb crystals mixed in with soil in the planting hole once I get them ready to plant out or would that be iffy? I will be reading up on the different pruning requirements also. Don't want to chop off any growth that may provide blooms.
Thanks everyone for the help...exactly what I was looking for!
The 45 degree angle would be leaning them towards the trellis where you want them to grow. Yes, you can use the water crystals (I do) just to insure that the roots have water available to them if they need it. I have a big jug of reconstituted water crystals since when I've used them dry (and used too much) it has lifted plants right out of the ground.
Have fun with the clem's!
Thank you! I've done that with the water crystals too! I had no idea they swelled up so fat:LOL: Came out after a rain and half the soil was on the patio and the hostas were pushed up and out surrounded by pea sized clear jelly balls:LOL: I only do them pre swelled up now too.
Thank you so much ya'll!!
I used the water crystals in all hanging baskets and potted plants. It does give me some peace of mind when we're away on vacations.