I have a viticella hanna that I got last spring. It was small when I got it so I potted it up in a gallon pot half sunk in the garden for the summer and then in early fall when it had some decent roots I planted it in the garden. I cut it back a week or to ago to about 3-4 inches tall, just above a good bud and I was nosing around in there today to see if any new shoots were coming. I don't know what happened, if some dirt washed away in that area or if I did a poor job planting, but I think I saw roots, which would be very odd because I do plant them deep. Can I dig it up now and plant it deeper or do I just have to deal with it now? Keep in mind things are just barely starting to emerge here as its been a LONG winter in Wisconsin.
Can I plant it deeper now?
I'd bet you can but let's see what Shirley and Jeanne say. Good luck!
I have some in pots but not half in the ground is that best to do and why??
Jess ... I just did it for convenience so I wouldn't have to water as much and I could just keep it in an ugly nursery pot and not worry about what it looked like. You definitely don't have to do that.
Twonewfs: If you've been growing it in a 1 gallon container since last Spring, it should have a good established root system. If you want to dig it up to plant it deeper, do that in early Spring before it is actively growing. Make your hole about 18-24" deep, amend it with good soil, plus a handful of bone meal to encourage the roots to keep developing. Cover with compost and top it off with a nice layer of mulch to help retain moisture in the soil OR just leave it be and add compost & mulch surrounding the plant.
Clematis are heavy feeders and you can give them either tomato or rose food in the Spring. I wouldn't fertilize after the month of August.
Thanks Shirley. Actually I took it out of the pot and planted it in the ground in early fall. It must have made it through the winter because there are a couple buds on it. So is it still OK to carefully dig it up and replant deeper? Also ... I've used Rose-tone in the past on my clematis and that seems to have worked. Is that one ok?
Jess...Potting up immature clematis and planting the pot into the soil is best...at least I find that to be true..they stay more moist that way and seem to insulate the roots and aid in them growing...I have a retaining garden in my back garden that I am constantly keeping clematis sunk in there for growing them out to plant into my gardens...Jeanne
I love the idea of planting them in pots for the first year. Long ago I'd grow them inside for a full year, up to 18 months, before planting them. Thanks to Shirley and Jeanne for all your help with growing them.