I was out shopping yesterday, quite far from home, and made an impulse buy of this Clematis, which I am very new to. I planted a few last year that are doing well so I thought I'd take a chance and try some others. Anyway, I came home and researched the cultivar, and was surprised that the pictures on the internet look nothing like this one's blooms. Is it possibly mislabeled, or do the flowers change that much with age, light, etc. The cultivar is 'Captain Thuilleaux' and here is a pic of one of the flowers blooming on it. The online pics show a bi-tone bloom with pink down the center of the petals. I can't see a trace of pink in this.
One other question- I'd like to move one of the ones I planted last year- is this an ok time to do that? It's cool and damp here.
Mislabeled?
Yours is very different from those I found using Google images. http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1003&bih=486&q=capitaine+thuilleaux+clematis&gbv=2&oq=%27Captain+Thuilleaux%27+&aq=0sCS&aqi=g-sCS1&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0i10i33i24.4125.4125.0.6515.1.1.0.0.0.0.265.265.2-1.1.0...0.0.LHDYreaj0G0 Hard to believe it's the same plant. As new buds open please take more photos. The most colorful they seem to be for me is when they just open.
Dig wider and deeper than you think is necessary when moving clem's. Prepare the hole first so you don't run into rocks or unexpected surprises like tree roots. Water it well and don't forget the compost, manure, bonemeal and a good drink of Epsom salt (1 TB to a gallon of tepid water). Please mulch it well, 3", and you shouldn't have problems though late fall is the usual transplanting time.
Thanks, Pirl, I will definitely take some pics when the other buds open.
I read another post about the deep hole- why does it need to be deep?
To accommodate all the manure and compost you'll put in the hole along with the bonemeal. The theory is we plant clematis just once so give them the best home possible. I don't go to 18" but 12" works well for me.
Ok, so you put that stuff at the bottom but the base of the plant is still at the same level as it was in the other spot? How much bonemeal? And you do the Epsom salt drench right after planting?
You'll mix up some of the current soil with the manure and compost along with bonemeal. Then put the plant down at a 45 degree angle towards the fence or whatever you want it to grow onto, then cover with the remaining soil/compost/manure/bonemeal and you can water it in well with a gallon of tepid water. Mulch well.
The ball of roots should be 3" under the regular soil line. So, it will have 3" of covering and then the mulch.