Four years ago, Judy brought me three clematis so I planted them at the ends and the middle of a trellis that I had built for the wisteria. This is the first year that they have had a healthy start (the vines are 5 feet tall with bright green leaves!). I almost gave up that first year. They would start and stop and never bloomed. So I left them alone. And they grew. This year they have a head start on the wisteria. I'm beginning to think that wisteria is some species of kudzu. ?
Bob
The difference between Kudzu and Wisteria is, what Kudzu does above ground, Wisteria does underground. It's about to meet the RU on my island.
Sidney
The wisteria has overgrown the trellis (about 6 foot tall) and climbed across a 3 foot clearance to the eaves of my porch roof and "INTO" the shingles! I get out my three foot, Jungle Jim machette and have a field day every other week.
I stand corrected, What Kudzu does above ground, Wisteria does above and below ground. Both are nasty to get rid of.
I have tried for 9 years to get clemantis to grow, the last were victums of "weeding".
Sidney
I am soooo glad I am not the only one with Clematis issues!!!! I had one by my pond which grew about 18 inches then suddenly died. And another one growing on a windmill that only got about 2 feet tall and was only one spindly little vine.....grrrr
I adore wisteria - but just have NO space for it...:-<
Heather
There is a stretch of highway out of Columbia, S.C. About this time of year the dogwoods are popping, wisteria is in full bloosom across big stands of those trees and the Caroila jasimine is crawling all over their toes.
With early morning haze, its truly Mystical!
Sidney
I have a feeling that the helper I had at the time tried to "train" the vine to climb the trellis. Every time the helper touched it, the clematis would stop growing--
You are so right Sidney!! I am getting ready to leave here today and drive to Ohio for a funeral. I will be on I-26 for quite a ways. ( I live in Charleston, SC) It is beautiful! I am a nut for Wisteria, and along with the dogwoods and Jasmine, it really is something! Purple, white and pink with splashes of yellow. I am looking forward to that part of the drive.
Angie
The latest surprise -- We have blooms! Seems like the less you do, the prettier they get. On the north end of the trellis we have 2 or 3 in full bloom and about ten buds.
and almost 30 buds and blooms on the south end of the trellis. No work gardening! Dig a hole... cover 'em up and put a bottomless pot upside down to keep the roots cool and leave alone for 3 years...
You're about right, I think 3 years for beauty and yours are going to knock your socks off.
Sidney
Well Sidney, I just got my socks knocked off! Judy says, "Take a look at your Clematis now" and I did...
I counted 32 blooms and probably more...
That's a big smile maker. Time to go barefoot anyhow.
Hope mine do as well, but didn't know the upsidedown bottomless pot part.
They are just beautiful.
Tell Judy you told em to put on a show for her on Mother's Day!
sidney
Some where I read that the vine should be in sun and the roots must be cool so I figured that if I stuck a clay pot into the soil two or three inches that the cool would 'wick' up into the rest of the pot... And I knocked out the bottom to watch it grow.
BigDaddies, what can I say. He knocked a hole about twice as large as the drain hole so it could grow out of the pot easily.
Judy
Awesome - truly awesome! And I can't even get mine to germinate - not fair!
