In the past year and up to now, I have done quite a bit of planting of roses and more recently clematis. My question is...the clematis are growing much, much more aggresively than the roses. The clematis are planted or will be planted using the roses as a structure for the clematis to grow through. Should I nip the clematis to keep them in line with the roses (and lose some clem blooms) or just let them do their thing and assume the roses will catch up at some point??
Hmmm...a question
Just to add..quite a few of the clematis were just breaking ground at the end of March and are now anywhere from 3 to 5 foot tall. The clematis got the same as the roses... a little alfalfa, bone meal and a splash of epsom's salt. I guess they like it, because they are not sleeping their first year :)
What kind of Clematis did you plant, with what roses? That info will help with the answer. I would think they would catch up, but if the Clematis is real aggressive, I would cut them back some. The marriage of the rose with the Clematis, is sometimes a rocky one!
I am assuming you are talking about Climbing Roses with Clematis??..I've planted bare root roses with clematis and had no problem..the climbers will eventually outgrow the clematis..Jeanne
I'm having this dilemma with my Lady Banks and Etoile Rose. The rose was already growing when I planted the clematis, but now the latter has passed the rose and is getting tangled up in the lower branches. Should I cut it back, too?
It all depends on the ultimate size of your Roses and the height that the Clematis will be when full grown. Some Clematis are more vigorous than other varieties. I try to match the size, but you can always twine your Clematis around and through your Roses or let it do it's own thing. Cutting back your Clematis at this time of year will sacrifice some of the early blooms. It pays to do your research ahead of time.
"Lady Banks" is a very large Rose and should be able to handle "Etoile Rose" eventually. I wouldn't cut the Clematis back now, but use the Rose as a trellis and wrap the vines through it.
what about putting a bamboo pole or something simple and cheap behind the rose bushes for the clematis to climb up?
The bamboo pole is a good & inexpensive idea. Again however, it depends on how vigorous & tall your Clematis is.
Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack Venu209's thread.
As for my situation, I have a sturdy trellis for the rose and clematis. It's just that the newly planted clematis is growing faster than the previously planted rose. I guess I'll just leave them alone for now and see how it goes.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Kathleen
kaperc: What are the names of the Rose and Clematis are we talking about?
If you find that your Clematis is overwhelming your Rose, you always have the option of digging it up and moving it. However, I wouldn't attempt that until late Fall when your temperatures have cooled down significantly and there is more moisture.
Digging up and moving Clematis would be an excellent topic for discussion on another thread.
Shirley1md, I have a Lady Banks (white) growing with Etoile Rose, so no danger of it overwhelming the rose, it's just what to do with it until the Lady puts on the next growth spurt. Guess I'll just train it up the trellis for now until that happens.
You're right about the Rose, "Lady Banks" getting huge. "Etoile Rose" will look beautiful again the white petals. I would just train the Clematis on the trellis until "Lady Banks" gets a growth spurt. Then stand back and watch out!
kaperc, that's no hijack :) we have the same situation. Thanks for all the tips everyone. I'll think I'll leave them be for now. I still have about a half dozen to plant with the larger shrub roses. Those are the once blooming roses that I wanted to keep some color on after the rose is done. So those clematis will get a temporary trellis this year if need be. Next year I don't anticipate this problem unless I get more of both!!
venu:
Would you like to wager a bet that you can't stop buying Clematis and Roses...this year, next year or until the end of the century??? :~0
Lol, I would only wager that I won't be buying any AT the end of the century.