Hi everyone, I am fairly new to gardening. I live in Ontario Canada and I honestly don't know where I should be posting. I mostly have perennial gardens and I have several clematis vines along with a honeysuckle vine and sweet pea perennails as well. I hate to jump into anything right away but I do have a few questions that are really nagging me right now.
1) I bought a Russian Sage today. I know they can get quite big. Is there anyway to keep this plant smaller? Could I dig it up in the fall if I find it gets too big and make it smaller? I was also wondering can I plant it in the container I bought it in and cut open the bottom for the roots?? Would this contain it somewhat?? TIA.
2) I have a Jackmanni that i planted in the spring (new). I need to move it. Should I do this in the fall or spring? When should I prune it back?? Fall or Spring??
Thanks in advance.
I am new here :)
Welcome Dawn! Can't really answer your questions (One way to keep your Russian sage small is to give it to me. Mine never get big, unfortunately ;^) otherwise, you could always cut it back to the size you want) but I wanted to say Hello and that we are glad to have you in the Northeast. Some of our New Yorkers and northern New Englanders will have very similar condions to yours.
Aww thanks Dave - it feels good to be welcomed.
Welcome from me, too. I don't know anything about Russian Sage and very little about clematis. But I think they go dorment in the Fall and you could move it then. I moved my one clematis this spring and it seemed to do OK - except that I can't find it in my columbine jungle. It did bloom as I took a picture of it earlier this year - so I know that it survived.
Hi Dawn,
Welcome!
1) Perovskia is actually a shrub and pinching them back would reduce the flowering quite a bit, what variety did you get. I had the standard and swithched to filigran for a more tidy habit - in theory. You can cut off straglers to help some. Container - I don't think a container would contain it, it might overwinter in it - don't really know.
2) clematis are pruned in the spring and moving then would also be best.
Al
I think I have the standard one bigcityal. Hmmm I guess I will try it and see how it does. If not I might have to move it next year - we will see. Yahoooo I just love this stuff. Live and learn.
Hi, Dawn, and welcome. You'll like it here.
I have Russian Sage, and I didn't know it would get so big. So if you find the secret, please let me know.
Welcome Dawn..no answers to your questions..just a friendly hello!
Hi, Dawn! Welcome!
you can check for advice on the clematis in Vines and Climbers.
I don't have one, but I sure enjoy my neighbor's. She seems to have the touch.
Martha
this is last year's photo of the sage, it has about 2' deep to grow in and does lean out of that some
http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/i/8944/
Hi Dawn and welcome to the nicest forum on DG - Northeast Gardening!
There is a more compact Russian Sage so maybe that's the answer for you.
I've read and heard never to transplant clematis but we'll be trying next spring ourselves - as in early March. Good luck.
Isn't Sudbury the birthplace of Alex Trebek? And home to Aurora Borealis celebrations around July 20th?
Hi, Dawn....Big Welcome....sorry I missed this yesterday. I have the compact Russian sage 'Little Spire'. of course, that doesn't help you at all if you already have the biggie. anyway, here's a pic of mine...gets about 2'
I asked for advice a while ago on clematis and was told by some of the experts that they need to be planted deeper than what was previously thought. So if you are moving it you might want to keep that in mind. Just a thought.
where's Sudbury? I'm in Wheatfield, NY, just a tad SE of Niagara Falls
gram
my russian sage dies back to the ground every year. i planted it 4 years ago and it is the same size. i was hoping it would get big...
gram-i went to college in fredonia. my roomate Julie McHugh lived in wheatfield. know her by any chance? don't know what her name is now.
Welcome, Dawn.
If you transplant the Clematis, be sure to dig DEEP. The ones I have moved went very deep.
Move them very early in Spring as soon as you can work the soil, before it wakes up. You may also find extra plants, sometimes stems that rested on the ground take root. Cut them free and pot them up.
Andy P
