My first Clematis

I have never grown these before but I found a good deal and loved the flowers and wanted something that would come back (I hope) and the blooms would stay open all day unlike the Morning Glories but they are doing good and since this photo more have opened but the new blooms on the Barbara Jackson is a darker purple so I am wondering if it is labeled right. I also planted a Dr. Ruppel that has just opened and it I know it is labeled right but I thought for 4.88 each it was a good deal and now I am wanting more.
Maybe next time my camera will take a better picture as they both get more blooms. Also is there anything special I need to know in growing these.

Thanks,
Vickie

Vickie, congratulations on your Clematis - they like to have "cool feet" -I grow mine with either thick mulch at the base of the vine, or a small groundcover around them.

Thanks, I did add a lot of mulch when I planted this but maybe I need a bit more.
Thanks so much
Vickie

Vickie..baby clematis' blooms can sometimes not be the same as a mature clematis ..did you take another pic..it is beautiful...Jeanne

Yes the second bloom was the same as this one but that was the last two so far. and my other plant has only had one bloom so far. Is this normal and how long does it take to really start blooming..
Thanks,
Vickie

Congratulations Vickie on your 1st blooms! It takes Clematis ~3 yrs. to produce a lot of flowers. Each year it will increase more & more.

Once it has FINISHED FLOWERING, you may want to give it some Rose food. Don't fertilize while it's still in bloom, as that may decrease the length of time that it will flower.

Thanks so much for the help I guess I will look forward to seeing more next few years..In the mean time I will have my MG that continually bloom and the strange thing I found this year was my MG's came back and I have found a ton of little seedling starting to grow and I thought they were annuals here..Any thoughts.
Thanks a bunch

Maybe your MG's self seeded themselves. It's so nice to get "extra" flowers!

It was a nice treat, every place I had the MG's growing have self seeded so I did not have to plant any there this year but I did start a few in a hanging pot in the greenhouse this past Feb. and I see bloom getting ready to open any day now so I am excited to have my first MG bloom of the season.

Thanks so much

Young clems especially the large flowered type 2s are prone to wilt, so often it is better to plant them deep in ammended soil (compost, leaf mold, well composted manure, bone meal, rose fertilizer) in a #10 pot (think it is 2 gallon size, about 8 inches high & 6 inches wide). When the roots start growing out of the pot is the best time to plant in the ground. Pots can be planted where you want the clem or overwintered in a ditch somewhere else.

If the newbies are in pots above ground ( or anywhere), do wilt you can cut off the wilted part a little lower on the stem and give the plant a chance to grow another healthy vine. Unattractive potted ones can be moved to a "nursery area" until the put out more leaves.

I learned all I know from the great folks at Gardenbuddies Clematis Forum, after several years of dead plants. Not 100% successful now, but doing a lot better.

Marie

Thanks so much for the information..So far the plant itself looks good where I planted it and gets mainly morning shade and afternoon sun.. I will be watching it closely.
I did get my first MG bloom this morning but we had a lot of rain last night and this morning so it looks a little water logged..

Very pretty.