I purchased a 'Fireworks' Clematis at Lowe's in their markdown area. It is in a 3 gallon pot, a little ratty looking, but not too bad. (Besides it was only $3). The tag says morning sun only. I was thinking of planting it in a big wooden barrel in front of my house. Would this be OK for this variety of Clematis? I am in zone 5, would it get too cold in the winter in the barrel? The barrel is between two garage doors that are about 4' apart, and I think a Clematis would add a lot of color to the area. I usually only put in annuals there, and I think the height would help in the curb appeal of my house. I can run a trellis from the barrel up to the roof overhang. If it would do better in the ground, I have an area on the east side of my house that would be OK, though the soil there is a bit on the sandy side.
Any advise would be appreciated.
Deb
Where to Plant
Hello momcat, I am no expert on clematis as this year is my first to grow them. I really rely on niobe and jeanne for advice but I also look at this web page for some info.
http://www.clematis.com/html-docs/HowtoGuide.html
maybe jeanne or niobe will pop in with some advice also. hope this helps.
taj12
Thank you for the link. There is lots of information there.
Deb
Deb, I have Fireworks that was growing in a spot where a tree shaded it from the sun from about 1PM on and it blooms and looks great. However, the ice storm damaged the tree and I had it taken out a few days ago and now it's in pretty much full sun, but won't know till next year how it handles it. Didn't help much, huh? LOL
Debbie
Any information helps. So it will do good with afternoon shade, that's helpful. My main concern, now, is if it could survive the winter, if it's planted in a big wooden barrel.
Thanks
Deb
momcat, in your zone i would be fearful of a wooden barrel for wintering over. if it came in a 3 lallon pot for 3$ you got a good buy! but i would not do it in that barrel. maybe move it in to a garage or shed and water it monthly after it goes really dormant? but don't take that advice literally...just my concern and a possible action. if it was in a 3 gallon, it could go right in the ground in the early fall. you could use the barrell every summer for a new variety that would go in the ground in the fall to build your collection????
god luck. fireworks is a nice clem, maybe for me a little hard to establish..but that sounds like a big one which will establish faster than a small one which is what mine was when i got it mail order.
Thanks, Niobe,
The barrel is not moveable, it's about 2 1/2 feet across, and maybe 2 ft high, and filled with dirt, it doesn't budge. I was hoping for something that would survive in the barrel, that didn't need full sun, that would give some color to the area. If you don't think the Clematis can survive there, I will plant it elsewhere. It was a bargain I couldn't pass up!! And the pictures I've seen of it are just lovely, so I don't want to risk losing it, I'll find something else for the barrel.
Deb
you can grow clems in there all summer every year, then move them in the fall. grow with annual such as thunbergia if a new clem every year does not give the coverage or lushness you want???
the barrels scare me for wintering over....too open and wood too porous. love the barrels however.
it can be your summer station while they get bigger for fall relo!!!!!
I didn't think a summer season alone would give me the coverage that I would like (and I'm not keen on moving things, always afraid I'll kill them). I have tried Thurbergias and MG's but they need more sun that what this spot gets. That's why, when I saw that this needed morning sun only, I thought it would work. The barrel is between two garage doors that are about 4' apart, the bricks on the house are all painted white, I just need some tall color there!
maybe investigate what other people in your area overwinter in the wooden barrells?