Coming from here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1191739/
We are a determined group of clematis lovers, aren't we? I saw this tee shirt while on Cape Cod and thought it described many of us "to a tee".
Clematis chat continued
My DH loves those shirts and has 4 of them. LOL
Oh, how very true!
Hi Everyone, Here is a picture of the begining of a fall flush of a spring planted and well pinched Venosa Violacae. This turned out to be the most vigorous Clem. I planted this spring. As I mentioned elsewhere I had to establish a garden closer to the house and that has entailed a lot of new beds and planting holes. This has turned out overall to be good as I was able to have everything I needed to have these beds and sites prepared well. I hope you all enjoy the season. Lee Sherwood McDonald
I planted that clem several years ago, did fine, & now it's gone :(
Hi Robin dog, I have lost quite a few clems. over the years. I still am not surprised when I loose one! I have become consistent in preparing their sites. I am careful to buy as large and solid clematis as I can find. My culture is more uniform. I pay a lot of attention to their watering. I still loose many to many as I see it!! I usually do Autopsy's and keep records on plants I value as much as clems. The biggest loss in large flowering types seems to be an eventual loss of vigor from wilts. I intend to address this wilt issue from a home gardeners perspective and look forward to a lot of feedback! Lee Sherwood McDonald
Beautiful Venosa, Lee!
I've lost many clematises as well and sometimes it's a shock since they flowered and did well for more than just a year or two. One was crowded out but I have no reason for the deaths of the others. I, too, have been more careful about planting deeper and giving them a lot of compost, then pine needles as mulch so in the last few years I think I've only lost one.
I'm afraid wisteria strangled out the venosa....just can't get rid of that pest!
Who planted the Wisteria, Marilyn?
Today I had a nice surprise. Moonfleet, one of my newer clematises from Garden Crossings, bloomed. This is how it looked yesterday and I loved it!
Here is how it looks today:
I like it...nice contrast with the stamens...Pirl, My DH & I built this house 35 years ago...the land was part of an old apple orchard, owned by the woman whose husband mass produced the hypodermic needle.....after she died, her son sold off the land....next door to us was the carriage house of the original farm...it had been transformed into a house....the wisteria was growing on the back of the carriage house, and the owner gave me a piece of wisteria to plant....if only I knew then what I know now! It's an awful pest, & I cannot get rid of it!
pirl! How sweet that bloom is.....love the clem; had never heard of it but it is gorgeous. Late season too ! Looking forward to seeing it this next year.
ROBINDOG: I read my latest "Fine Gardening" last night and they warned about taking "gifts" from neighbors noting that if it is vigorous enough to share, it might be a thug.....I, too, learned the hard way. I am working on my original perennial bed (put in about 12 years ago) b/c my next door neighbor gave me a clump of spiderwort. Plus I planted Northern Sea Oats. Now both are pretty much everywhere but I WILL PREVAIL. kim
Here's a link to Moonfleet, Kimmy: http://www.gardencrossings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.detailbyname&navFriendly=Clematis-Moonfleet
The FG article is so true. Do not accept anything until you investigate it first. Sounds crass and ungrateful, I'm sure, but no one needs the grief of dealing with invasive plants or those that are aggressive. Currently I'm dealing with removing 400 sq. ft. (more in reality but I can't accept a higher number - too depressing!) of Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'. This is what I'm up against and where I spent seven hours digging out each root yesterday. It's been an ongoing battle for many years but this year I garnered the required effort to dig up each and every daylily and pot them up, then tackle the problem.
I, too, have that determination to win the war, Kimmy. I wasn't raised to be a quitter or I'd have given up rich foods and Godiva!
Marilyn - you might try removing all the soil in the Wisteria area and just continually spraying Round Up on any leaves that emerge. Sadly, RU does not work at all on Houttuynia.
I should have explained that each tool in the photo represents an area where there are still roots, under the pine roots, to be removed. The tools were replaced by roots I had to cut to let me know where to continue in each area.
This year I began the project July 12 and had it free of the menacing weed by the time we left for Maine & Cape Cod. Upon our return I did spot a few pieces growing from tiny bits of roots I had missed. You can see from this photo how fast the tiny pieces grow. Note that at the 5 1/8" mark that little piece grew a few inches in the two weeks since I last dug and it has (had) a leaf already. What nerve!
Is that Wisteria roots in that picture? Oh crap I this one that hubby wants to grow out before it can do that. I have been pulling and cutting all these years, but he got this big idea to let it grow.
They are pine roots, Marie. Maybe Marilyn has photos of Wisteria roots. How did I miss growing that?
I still have to cut it off the tree that it wants to go up. I know how it can over take everything. I would rather just dig it up and be done with it...lol
Oh my gosh pirl, your picture makes me ill....what a job! But, it's the only way isn't it? Now, is the pine still alive or that one you lost in Irene ? Makes my job pale by comparison.....kim
How I wish it could have been the pine where half broke off but it's another one. I'm now creating a minor ditch between the main Houttuynia area and the rear of that garden to try and catch strays that want to cross either way.
Every tiny bit of root that remains in the earth will grow as evidenced by this photo. You can see the thicker/older tiny pieces have grown quite a bit in the two weeks since I last dug there. The piece at the 5 1/8" mark is even in leaf already...or it was until I trashed it.
Oh, that stuff looks awful! Glad I'm not dealing with it....I do have spiderwort, Kim, but it's not too bad....I pull it up when I spot it in the beds.....no wisteria roots to show, because I've been cutting it down for so many years....but here it is creeping into the patio....Roundup does not work on it, Brush-Be-Gone works the best, but that's not saying much!
My spiderwort gets ripped out as soon as I spot the leaves. It's annoying but not comparable (thank God) to other evil plants.
Isn't it a shame that the energy possessed by Wisteria, Houttuynia and many invasives can't be put to good use? If they could find the magic ingredient that makes them grow with such vigor and use it for food purposes it could help eradicate world hunger.
Hi Everyone, y "Nightmare" plant is Agapodium the verigated form in this case of "Bishop Weed" It was given to me by an absolute angle of a gal and my best friend gardener. I have fought it for years and repeated applications of R.U. with a paint brush will almost work. If I were still in the marines I would call in Napalm strikes on it!! Lee Sherwood McDonald
I faced that demon in three areas and did eradicate it with three treatments of Round Up but before I resorted to chemicals I tried in vain to dig it up to no avail. Just as with Houttuynia, any piece left in the ground will grow and flourish.
Actually, I have only myself to blame for many aggressive plants and Aegopodium is one of them. Back in the 70's when I used to weed for my neighbor, the real PIRL, I asked her if I could have some of it and she replied (with great wisdom):
You may have it but you may not say I gave it to you.
Here's the after and before photos of the exact same area showing Aegopodium before I eliminated it. You can see the lily stalks in the background.
That ground cover you have along the edge, It grows wild here. I cant get rid of it. I cant imagine anyone buying it...lol
Ajuga. It borders on invasive at times. Thankfully, it is easy to remove and I removed a lot of it while cleaning up from the storm a few weeks ago.
My SIL called aegopodium "Youth & Old Age'.....it's not a bother for me, because I planted it in dry shade. I never planted ajuga, but it showed up in the yard a few years ago....right now it's growing where nothing else will, so it can stay.
Ajuga is good that way and it often grows where other plants refuse to grow. In a typical garden it can run rampant much too fast so I prefer it at the edge where I can keep better control of it.
Strange how it just popped up in my yard....
Same here Robin , and now It is going into the lawn. I thought I had a problem with Creeping Charlie, now this.
It goes into my lawn as well. Then it really annoys me but I really shouldn't have it where it can get into the lawn. Knowing better but believing it "won't happen this time" borders on insanity.
True...my garden does keep me pretty insane!
Currently my insanity can be blamed on trying (again...for the fourth time) to remove all roots of the vile and evil, highly aggressive Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'.
Let this be fair warning to all who may have a little of it - get rid of it now before it gets out of control as mine has.
Oh pirl, I once ordered a few H. c. Chameleon, biggest regret ever!!!! Thank goodness I've since moved. I made the mistake of giving it to another gardening friend. It's invaded his whole yard, and he's still pulling it out. It should be banned from sale!!!!
BTW, I had to move my Omoshiro. It just was not happy with where it was planted. It had minimal gowth, and probably wasn't getting enough sun. It's starting to finally cool down here, so the plant shouldn't suffer too much from the move, and should hopefully make more roots before winter.
This message was edited Sep 21, 2011 10:19 PM
I don't have issues with Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'. It is very pretty, but I had heard about a neighbors experiences with it several years ago. That did it for me.
My MIL gave me some goose neck loosestrife. It is still in the pot and I have not planted it. I am hesitant because I dont' want the same type of experiences you are having with the Houttuynia.... does anybody have experience with the GN Loosestrife?
No experience but I've heard it can be invasive also. My next door neighbor has it around a birdbath; probably about 10-12 foot diameter and they keep in in check by mowing around the circle. Id' be wary too....kim
Annette - Houttuynia should be banned from sale. My daughter read that it was the subject of a newspaper story about the "newest" most invasive weed. It's so beautiful that I'm sure many won't heed the advice but they'll live to regret it.
Omoshiro doesn't require full sun for me but the last one I bought did get placed in full sun just so I could monitor the differences between growing it in part sun as opposed to full sun. I hope yours enjoys the new spot and that it blooms well for you. Mulch it well - 3 to 4" won't hurt it.
Carolyn - Gooseneck Loosestrife has been good here but only because it's bordered by that ugly black edging on two sides. I'd be highly reluctant to plant it if I were you. Too many people report massive problems with it invading their gardens. Check out Plant Files to see what others say. In the Northeast Forum Victorgardener has huge issues with it and wishes he never planted it.
My Gooseneck, pictured here, is allowed to roam as far as the piece of bark on the right and a piece of granite for a clematis label on the left. If it goes past those markers (or gets too close) I dig it out. I would not recommend the plant.
We cross posted, Kimmy, but any that gets into the lawn does get mowed and weed whacked.
Here's a thread about Gooseneck Loosestrife and Victor's comments are there.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1024714/?hl=gooseneck#top
My neighbor across the road had G N loosestrife, & it took over the whole yard....her grandson, who bought the house from the estate, mowed it down for the past several years, & I think it's finally gone.....I had a small patch which spread alarmingly fast......I've been yanking it out for years, & I think it's finally gone! My advice is don't plant it!
Here's Plant Files and the 17 negatives on GNL: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/656/