Hi,
With the back to reality April temps approaching will clematis that are growing survive cold April temps that are below 32F?
Thank you,
Andrew
Will clematis survive April freeze?
Definitely! Clematis can and will survive temps below 32F. Alpinias, Macropetalas and Montanas love the cool Springtime temps and flower beautifully. Plus, they are in Group 1, so no pruning is necessary.
Shirley1md;
"....and Montanas love the cool Springtime temps...." I have two Montanas var. Ruben. One failed to put forth leafy growth. Should I put it in my frig to similate condition that it needs? SE region seems to skip Spring this year. It has been in 80'F range. And I think this has kept this particular Clem. in dormancy.
Thanks.
Just to be absolutely sure, I need to follow up Intercessor's question. I have some group 2 and group 3 Clematises that are 18" tall now. We are forecasted for 5 bad nights next week from 24 degrees to 34 degrees. That is awfully cold.
Do I have to cover the Clematis?
I know it's the same question that was asked and answered, but I have bought a lot of these in the last couple years and it looks like this year they will finally be taking off. I don't want them to be set back by cold weather if I can prevent it.
Suzy
edited for the horrible typing errors
This message was edited Apr 3, 2007 7:33 AM
Illoquin;
I believe they'll be okay. Like that of Pansies, clematis will not wilt by cold temp. If they do, it's just temporarily. They will spring right back.
I'm going to answer Suzy's question first. Cold will NOT hurt Clematis, so don't worry about your group 2's and 3's that are still small. No need to cover them as they are hardy perennials. I'm not concerned about the size of the vine, because they will grow. However, how big is the root system? Grow out your baby Clematis in 1 gallon containers with well amended soil until their roots are showing at the bottom. Bone meal helps to develop good roots. Then you can safely plant them in your garden. Keep the soil moist (not wet) and don't let them dry out.
Lily_love: It sounds like your vine is still in dormancy and it might take a while for it to get established. However, once it does get established, it will take off very quickly.
Living in the warmer areas (zone 7 & above) where the cool Springtime temps can be short lived and the temperatures quickly rise during the Summer months, can be hard on baby Clematis vines. Instead of planting them in my garden now, I wait and plant them in the Fall because the temperatures are cooler and precipitation is more abundant. Instead of putting it in the refrigerator, I would go ahead and plant it in a 3-5 gallon container (Montanas get HUGE) with well amended soil. Give the vines something to climb on. Keep it well watered and keep an eye on it. By the Fall, its root system will be much better developed and then you could plant it out in your garden with confidence.
Thanks Lily & Shirley, the only good news for today! The weather forecast gets worse each time I look at it, so I'm doing what any sane person would do and stopped looking for updates. LOL!
We're down to a forecast of 20 degrees. At 17 degrees, there is much damage, even to hardy perennials.
Thank you so much! I wish Lilies (Lilium) were as easy going as Clematis seem to be!
Suzy