It's just a guess -- I have several clematis plants, but two have suddenly wilted and withered. One is a Sweet Autumn and the other is inherited from the previous house owners so I have no idea which it is other than it is very vigorous. Usually. A few weeks ago, my back garden was attacked by, I think, a psychotic squirrel which was chewing my plants down to little twigs poking out of the ground. In desperation I threw mothballs, bloodmeal and bonemeal over all my beds. The attacks have calmed down, but now, all of a sudden, these two clematis vines have gone from vibrant and growing to sad and wilted! The other three I have in the backyard are fine. The stems don't look chewed or dislodged -- any thoughts as to what may have caused this and/or what I can do about it?
Many thanks
do some clematis not like blood or bone meal?
It sounds like what you are describing is Clematis Wilt, which is a fungal disease. Try spraying your Clematis with a Light Horticultural Oil. Cut and discard the wilted vines. Do NOT compost them! As Clematis mature, they become less prone to Clematis Wilt.
That doesn't sound good -- will it affect my other, so far healthy, Clematis vines that are intertwined, do you think?
Group 2's are the ones that suffer most from Clematis Wilt. It may affect other Group 2 Clematis. Newer Group 2's are becoming stronger and more wilt resistant depending on their parentage. Spraying with an anti-fungal agent does help, as well as, maturity. If you want Clematis that don't succumb to wilt, then grow Group1's or the viticella varieties (Group 3) which are totally wilt resistant.