I just planted 2 of my first Clematis Killian Donahue and Geurnsey Cream. I recieved them in the spring and they were in 4 inch containers,much like niobes are in her picture. I had saw someone ask about these type of planters and they were told to plant them in gallon size pots till fall. when I planted them this spring they were very small roots on them. I just took these out of their gallon pots and they both had nice root balls. They were not like the ones you get from silver star vinery but there was a nice bunch of roots.
Now if I just planted them correctly may be in a year or so I will have some real beauties.. I just hope I get mine from Chalk hill soon we are coming up on our first frost date soon.I hope they can handle the stress of shipping and cold when planted. I called and they told me they were only allowed to ship to West Virginia on mondays so I geuss they were not sent yesterday since I have not received any e-mails from them.
Happy Gardening, and thanks for such good advice from people on this site..
taj
Thanks to this forum
you got good advice to hold them in the pot till they were bigger. these small ones can just disappear. i am planting mine little teeny ones out today and hoping for the best as i will not mess with wintering them over in a bigger pot. they have been outside acclimatizing in the small pots for about a week now.
nurserys selling these little plants are in large part to blame for clems reputation of being hard to grow. can you imagine how many are purchased that never make it due to just being planted out and not cared for?
niobe you are right many never have a chance and if I had not been a member of DG I am not sure mine would have made it this far. I see the ones sold at Home Improvement stores and the like and they already look stressed and somtimes already blooming in small pots. I have no doubt many do not live and that turns people away from them thinking they are too hard to grow.
I planted the four I received in the spring, they seem ton be doing okay a week later. Chalk Hill sent an Email saying Four of my order was being shipped monday. Will be here friday or so. I will not be home til Sat. morning. I know you have alot of expireince with Clems. Should I go ahead and plant in the ground as soon as I get them or plant them in the ground in their pots till spring?
Tim
i vote for planting in the ground. if you winter them over in pots, they must be very thick pots, in a sheltered location, even moving them into a garage , barn or shed structure when real winter sets in, watering once in a while over the winter and setting the pot outside mid march...to me this is more work and riskier than just planting it now. you should have a pretty good root form chalk hill that will establish over the autumn and do just fine. that said, other people who post on the site here may have a better experience with overwintering in pots that i do.
my first season with clems i did overwinter some in pots on a deck garden. the pots were very thick like 2 " thick ceramic, on a sheltered deck, near the warmth of the house. two that didn't make it were rooguchi and alionushka.
i did this as i was overwhelmed and at a loss for places to plant them outside. as i gained experience, i just feel it better to get them in the ground and let them get started establishing in their permanent place.
have fun and god luck!