Hi, I'm trying to think of a way to create a 'Secret Garden' on the shady side of my yard (dreaming again-LOL! ), do you zone 5-ers think that the Sweet Autumn Clematis would be a good shady climber for coverage on either a trellis,fence or Arbor? Thanks, Jill
Zone 5-ers for Sweet Autumn Clematis?
Jill, the Sweet Autumn needs a lot of sun. It might grow in the shade, but I don't know how it would do and I'm sure it's blooms wouldn't be as prolific. Here is mine. It gets full sun with the exception of a couple of hours during the hottest part of the day. We have a maple that throws shade there for just a while.
Wow , that's really beautiful. Well I wont be using that vine to hide a secret garden in the shade! LOL!I'm determined to try and either plant so much in my yard and/or add cemented stone walkways and plants that I wont have so much yard to mow ths summer. I'm just trying to think ahead because I know I'll be extreamly busy this spring. After seeing your Sweet Autumn Clematis I'm now trying to think of a sunny spot to add one to our yard. My head is really spinning with spring and summer and gardening.
I think I'd rather mow some than have to cut everything off in the fall and keep the weeds down. I have one flower bed that I absolutely cannot keep the weeds out of. I've got to figure out, this spring, what to do with it.
yep, me too, if you can get enough mulch it helps, but I have'nt found a good cheap mulch yet, I'm thinking of grabbing some pine needles from the local parks but then I think it may be too much acid for the soil,some swear by newspaper mulch. I just may try to get some hay this spring for mulching.
Lots of people use pine for mulch. I use cedar and it could also be acidic, but I've never had a problem. We have pine trees, so maybe I'll rake them up and use them instead of mowing. It takes a long time for them to break down and cause a change in the soil, I believe. The thing I really don't like about them is getting stuck by them when reaching into the plants to trim or pull weeds. Those little buggers hurt.
I'll bet they do, straw is sounding better! I love using cocoa hull hulch but it's so costly --- smells so nice though. I wish our Indoor Farmers Market would have more 'plant' and 'gardening' items for sale. Des Moines has an indoor farmers Market every Friday off off MLK Parkway and Ingersol but they have mostly Hand crafted items, and an occasional estate tag sale and lots of food vendors. I work nearby so I go there ocassionly on a Friday but only to see if there are plants,ect. --- have'nt found any yet, maybe come spring there will be some.
I guess it doesn't really matter what we use.....but I have to use something so I don't have to water every day if it's a dry summer. Now, I'm going to go watch some TV. Have a great night.
I have seen straw used as a mulch and it is really neat looking at the beginning of the season. I did not get back later to see if it started to break down or weather during the summer and fall. The garden it was in was simply stunning, so I figure it must do okay. Maybe she replaces or refreshes it during the season.
Thanks Sylvi , it just may try it, I really need a 'cheap' mulch
Do you think that I could grow Sweet Autumn Clemantis in Tucson, AZ.
I am not sure if it needs a cold period or not. I'm sure it can take the heat. Maybe someone knows about whether it needs that cool winter or not and will post here for you. So far I have only found it growing to zone 9b. Still looking.
That is the best I can find. If you have a minute, you might want to add your zone so it will show under your user name. Thanks.
Shirley
This message was edited Jan 14, 2005 8:03 PM
Brugie that plant is fantasitc. I always tried to grow them from seed. One scraggly plant finally put out about five flowers last year. I bought one at Lowe's at the end of the season and can't wait to get it going as good as yours.
Windy, I cut mine off every year...clear to the ground. When yours gets going good, it too will benefit from being cut off. It makes the vine so much thicker. It always looks like a huge tumbleweed when I get it all cut off.
Thanks for that information. I will surely heed it.
I cut my clematis right down too, late in the fall. You spoke about mulch earlier. I use my clematis' own foliage for fresh mulch every year - I dig down about 6" around the base of the plant, hack it off of its trellis and pile the foliage in the hole, then cover with dirt. And then wood mulch. My clematis are class III, like the Sweet Autumn Clematis.
My Sweet Autumn Clematis covers several sections of my split rail fence, which faces a N.W. direction. It has bright light, but not direct sun. I cut it back to the ground each Winter and during the late Summer I'm rewarded with a profusion of blooms. http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/10315/
Beautiful vine Shirley. I love the way they smell in the fall.
Yours is gorgeous too, especially surrounded by tropical plants and a lovely blooming pink Brug!
Thanks. This sounds like a mutual admiration society. LOL!
Corn meal gluten acts as a pre-emergent. Apllication will keep the weed seeds from germinating. Of course if you have something that self seeds they will not germinate either. Using it with mulch makes a big difference in weed control.
Silver lace vine is another pretty one but it takes sun also. What about Akebia for shade?
I may be able to try a climbing rose in the shade (I'm told) , also -- how about a climimg Hydrangea? I could'nt find any in the plant files (I'm sure my spelling is off) but maybe that would be a good vine for the 'secret garden' that I'm hoping to create. I'm joining a Garden Club this evening, I'll see if someone can throw some idea' s at me. looks like the Akebia may work too, it seems to look somewhat like my Honey-suckle vine (the leafs--anyway), and the flowers are pretty. My Honey suckle is not invasive, it could be because its in between my and my neighbors driveway, I have noticed shoots that try to sneak around but they're easy to pull out or mow out and my nieghbor has'nt complained (thus far) about shoots finding their way into his little green space next to his drive.
How fast do you want coverage? A Silver Lace Vine, Akebia Vine, and Sweet Autumn Clematis will give you very rapid coverage. On the other hand, a Climbing Hydrangea will be the complete opposite.
I have two pictures of my Climbing Hydrangea in PlantFiles. The 1st picture shows it covering part of my split rail fence and the 2nd one is a close-up of the flowers.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/42381/
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/42382/
Probably 'fast' Shirley, call me impatient! I just joined a local evening gardening club so I'm sure between this web site and the club I'll be able to figure it out.
Wow, those are great pictures, I especially like the one on the split rail fence, I belive I saw that last night as I continued to search for Hydrangea.
Thanks for the info!
Thanks momof2d! If you want "fast" coverage, then your best bet would be Silver Lace Vine, Akebia or Sweet Autumn Clematis.
Climbing Hydrangea is a wonderful plant, but everyone always cautions that it is very slow growing!! Would you believe that I've been growing about eight (can't exactly remember) Climbing Hydrangeas along the North side of my fence and they are easily 10-12 yrs old? They are planted about 5-7ft apart, at each fence post. After all this time, not one of them has grown over into another one's space. I wish they would and then I would have complete coverage of the fence.
I haven't started Climbing Hydrangea from seed. I received them as small plants.
If you are referring to Sweet Autumn Clematis, they are relatively easy from seed, but will need stratification to break the seed coat and allow it to come out of dormancy..
Joseph, I hope you don't get snowed it, but hey....you have seeds to play with. I've heard people say this vine can be invasive. Never saw it here, but until this year, I never had seeds. I'll let you know if any fell off the vine and start growing. Probably should have gone out and picked some. Do you think they would still be viable after all the freezes we have had. I mean way below zero. LOL!
This link will give you more information about growing Clematis from seed. I hope it helps. http://www.richardsdad.btinternet.co.uk/index.htm
Glad to help!
Now, it's back outside and shovel more snow..............hurry up Spring!
Very winter hardy here. Great site, Shirley.
Very informative site! Thanks, Jill
Glad that website helped all of you.
Also, don't forget about Wintersowing Clematis seeds! It's the perfect way to breakdown the seedcoat so that it will sprout. Here is a wonderful website that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Wintersowing. http://www.wintersown.org/
Plus, WS is great for almost every kind of seed. I'm even going to see if I can get some very difficult Datura seeds to germinate in this fashion.
Does anyone have any Sweet Autumn Clementis seeds to share? They don't sell it here in my zone 9b but I don't see why I can't give it a try. After all these pictures, I really want one. Joanie...
Hi :)
How big of a pain is it to get SAC off of a chain link fence when you prune it? This is my first house, and I've never grown a vine before. All I can imagine is playing tug of war, and the clematis winning!
Kelly
Kelly,
Here is what I do when I prune my humungus Sweet Autumn Clematis vine. In late Winter/early Spring, I use a saw to cut through the very thick stem (more like a trunk), about 1ft above the soil line. Since your vine is dormant this time of year, it is much easier to remove the vines intertwined in your fence.
Good Luck!
Lurking, wonderful sites posted on this thread. I've never seen Autumn Clematis look so full - I don't think anyone here in Moab cuts theirs back. It seems that makes them bloom much fuller.
I'm looking at covering what seems like 'miles' of chain link with something attractive. If it weren't for all the dogs that run freely thru an unfenced yard I'd have a prettier fence to look at rather than the chain. ;-( I'm going to go for the interspersed look, rather than a solid hedge look. Some of these and some of those.
Shirley, I'd no idea a climbing hydrangea took that long to grow "up" - thanks for the knowledge. How's your snow situation today? ~Blooms