And I thought it was dead...

Here is a picture of my "Niobe" just starting to take off. This is the second year it's been in the ground and I was hoping for a bit more growth than last year. It has one dead looking stick poking out of the ground which is attached to a bamboo cane just in-case it needs a little support you know ;-) Two weeks ago I found my pesky cats had been playing around in the garden and broken that dead-looking stick off at the ground. It was attached by the merest thread of bark. I propped it back up and re-secured it to the bamboo and today I found some new growth. Woo-hoo I'm excited. I can't wait to see what else these amazing little plants can do!

Question though: is the white fuzzy bit in the middle of the leaves a flower bud and should I pinch it off?

Hard to see with the leaves in the way, but it looks like an immature flower bud.

Some of my hybrid Clematis appeared to have die back to the ground. But I suspect pets playing in the area may have some thing to aid in their disappearance. I didn't mark mine well, but I've noticed some are setting plum flower buds. I wouldn't sacrify the bloom, wait to dead-head after the blosome is spent. Unless you would like to pinch back new growth shoots to encourage your vine branching. (I can't be certain how that works) since there are many varieties that require different pruning techniques. They group in 3 sub-group and each requires different timing in pruning. I sure wish Shirley1md would visit your post. She has an extensive knowledge in Clem. from my observation.

This message was edited Mar 7, 2007 8:47 PM

wgnkiwi:

Niobe is a "tried and true" variety of Clematis. Your 'stick' as you refer to it will definitely need a good support structure on which to climb because it is large & vigorous. Please keep that in mind when selecting something for it to grow on.

Since the second year the vine "creeps", it will be putting out more vines like you have pictured above. I believe the 'white fuzzy bit in the middle....' is a leaf, but time will tell as it grows larger. In you growing zone, you can cut back the vine now & fertilize to encourage more shoots & flowers. Niobe is a Group 3 Clematis and therefore will bloom in late Summer/early Fall. Fertilize again in late Summer before it starts to flower. Prune again after the vine has finished blooming.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Shirley - So are you saying I can cut the broken stick off below the break? Is there a preferred fertilizer for Clematis? I have these planted at the base of a large trellised wall - it's not perfect for the tendrils to wrap around but it sure is sturdy :-)

Yes, I would cut it below the break. The cut should be slightly above a growth node.

Rose or tomato fertilizer works beautifully with Clematis. Also, adding some bone meal (if you haven't already) helps the roots develop. Just lightly scratch some fertilizer & bone meal into the soil surrounding your Clematis plants. They'll greatly appreciate it and put forth lots of growth & hopefully more blooms this year. Don't forget to add mulch to help retain moisture around your Clematis. Try to keep the mulch from actually touching the vines. That can sometimes cause problems with certain Clematis.

Glad to hear that you have a sturdy trellised wall. Your Niobe will look beautiful climbing up it!

Thanks again for the advice. Much appreciated :-)

Just wanted to tell any clematis lovers that I have only one clematis at this time. It is Mr. President and it is a winner in my book. It came late in the fall when there was a sell out at the local nursery but it was in bloom and was only $cheap so I bought it, brought it home and stuck it little pot and all in a slightly larger pot and mulched it w/cypress mulch which I happened to have. It grew a little but put out 3 more blooms at different times on the little 3' vine. Then we had the first of our freezes and it was down to the ground. I took a wait and see attitude and noticed that it put out some more green which immediately got frozen down - again. Again took a W&S attitude. NOthing. Just the other day I took a look again and lo and behold a good green sprout about 2" long. Okaaaay! Yesterday, still that little green sprout. This morning I was out there again and the "sprout" is now 10" high and vining! Hooray! I didn't kill it and the weather didn't kill it. If it can live thru such utter neglect and disrespect it can live thru anything. I would heartily recommend Mr. President as a really resilient clematis and beautiful to boot.

Ann

Wow - that's fast growth. heard it was only Kudzu that fast LOL. I ordered a few of The President in the co-op that was going on - is it the same as Mr President? They certainly look the same from the pictures. Yesterday I discovered that my DH trashed a clematis that I had growing in a pot with a rose bush. Grrr. He was re-potting the rose for me and found this mound of roots and thought it was a dead plant so threw it in the recycling bin. Whaddya do with them *shaking head in despair*.....

I guess I should be grateful DH doesn't do anything for me outside!!!

Dig it out of the bin!!!! LOL It'll be OK

Debbie

Ann: "The President" is another lovely 'tried and true' Clematis. So glad to hear that it survived! To encourage more blooms, I would give it some fertilizer now to encourage more blooms. To encourage a 2nd flush of color, prune lightly after flowering is over and give it more fertilizer. Don't fertilize after August.

wgnkiwi: I don't know if that tossed out Clematis vine has any life to it. Dead is dead. The good news is that lots of nurseries are now carrying various Clematis varieities for the Spring. I would be more tempted to replace it.

It wasn't dead - it was resting! And unfortunately I didn't discover the crime until I went to fertilize this weekend. It's long gone. Tempted??!!! I can feel a road trip coming on....LOL

So sorry to hear about its demise. Oh, but road trips are LOTS of fun!!