Our growing season will be winding down shortly. I fertilized my clematis with rose food in the spring. Should I be fertilizing again with anything anytime soon or before the cooler temps hit?? Any advice for winding down in the season would be great....thanks.
Fall fertilizing question.....help please
Dawn..no more fertilizing for the year...time to let them rest before going to sleep for the winter...Jeanne
Thanks Jeanne - I just wanted to be sure......
i always do a fall composting with extra rich compost like bumper crop which has made a dramatic difference in spring blooms the last few years.
niobe ... when you put down your compost does it touch the stems of the plant.... does it make adifference?
It's always wise to keep mulch and compost away from the vine itself ...'cause having a constant wet mulch or compost can create a fungal disease..just take your fingers and slightly pull it a tad bit away from the vines...Jeanne
if i am using a bagged compost like bumper crop or nias i have never noticed an effect to the vine, although logically keeping it off the vine makes sense. i have so many clems that doing them all is a big job and i am probably sloppy, sometimes it is on the vine. it is good to compost in rainy weather or plan to water heavily afterwards just like with a fertilizer.
however, when using my own compost...we compost everything form the kitchen, grass trimmings from time to time, leaves at certain times of the year , small weeds and trimmings in huge 3 inch mesh bins..i only "harvest" the compost from the bottom of the bins about once a year.
this compost i keep well away from tender vines as it sometimes is not completely decomposed. bagged compost is processed by heat which makes a more sterile product.
the other thing i do is have my hubby or helpers, blow or rake leaves into the borders and planting areas with the clems/ by the time winter hits we have them socked in with leaves, which we remove in the early spring. some of the leaves decompose and it is part of a nice soil mix. the wet leaves, which we remove in the early spring go on a hillside as a ground mulch, or some of them in the compost bins.
your zone is like mine and i really believe the winter protection from this practice makes for a better, earlier spring for the clems.
also that first spring fertilizer is as early for me, early april, even before signs of like on the plant.
I love the info gals. I have lots of clems. and i wait until they go dormant and just before it starts the snow season (in my area Nov.-Dec). I fertilize then. I get the fertilizer cheaper in the fall and the nutrients are there when THEY start to come alive in spring or break dormancy. I find spring in Mich. too wet and I was
always late with the wake up "juice"!!!LOL!!! I do that for all my plants if i can. But Clems and roses are first and then we work our way through the yard!! I do the compost thing as i have 2 -15'x 4' fenced piles going all year. I love to read all of your very knowlegable advise and I will be a bit more attentive to not just feeding but "insulating the crown" ! i will let you know if I get bigger better clems!!! Thanks Niobe and Jeanne!!!!
You gals rock!!!!!
Julie