Somebody asked me how to revitalize a Montana Rubens. I do not know how large or small this plant is. I have a feeling it is on the large-ish side, otherwise it would be just a case of pruning it back.
They indicated to me that they only get a smattering of flowers on the ends and she wants more flowers in the mid section of the plant . There is a Kiwi vine growing with it, which apparently requires a high nitrogen fertilizer. I did tell them that the nitrogen would produce a lot of leaves and that either a tomato fertilizer or rose food scratched into the surface of the ground around the plant would be ideal to feed this clem.
Any ideas on how I can help her or what I should tell her? I don't grow Montana Rubens myself and I want to be able to give this person the correct advise.
This was the dmail that she sent to me ---- I have a montana rubens growing over an arbor. All the new growth and flowers are at the end of the vine. About 8 feet of bare stalk is from root to new growth. Can I do something to encourage more flowers along the bare stalk or can I cut it back? What's the best fertilizer formula for clematis? I also have a kiwi vine growing on the same arbor and it needs lots of nitrogen.
Thanks
Revitalizing Montana Rubens
She needs to give the Clematis a fertilizer that is not so high in nitrogen. You're right when you told her that nitrogen encourages leaf formation, not flowers. She needs to use tomato or rose fertilizer on her Clematis, which have a higher middle number.
Shirley -
Thanks. I did tell her that. I don't know what to do with the rest of the plant and I don't know how heavy the branching maybe on the plant either.
Doss is very knowledgeable about montana's.
sounds like this is a pruning and fertilizing opportunity. if the blooms are at the end they are on old growth, new growth needs to be stimulated by pruning.
It may be difficult to prune the Clematis once it has intertwined with the Kiwi vine growing with it. Here is some more information about pruning vines & Clematis in particular.
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/handbooks/pruningtrees/6.html
I don't feed my Montana Rubens anything. Mine don't have anything but a few leaves on the first 8 feet either. You can't see the bare part in the photo but it's at both ends so doesn't really show. I had thought that if it became too woody I would just cut it back and see what happened and sacrifice the bloom for a couple of years but I haven't gotten to that point yet. I'm loathe to recommend that to you since I haven't tried it. I don't know how you are going to disentangle the kiwi from the clematis though. That sounds like an almost impossible job.
Doss
I will tell her - thanks so much.
Your montana is gorgeous!
Tell her that I hope that it works out for her and to let us know how it works if she decides to cut it back. I'm interested to know.
wish we were out there relaxing doss, just so inviting. i love montanas.
I wish we were out there too. We are having weather in the mid 70's and I think that I will definitely spend some time on this patio. The montana has just started blooming.
nothing blooming here except the hellebores, but we are easing out of dormancy and the spring rains have started.
so par for the course. enjoy your montana and 70 degree weather. sounds like nirvana!
Thanks to all of you for your advice. I'm beginning to think I don't have a montana rubens. I bought it at the National Arboretum here in DC 2 years ago but my recollection is that it does not bloom until fall. So I took a chance and pruned it last week. The kiwi is still young so the 2 were not too entangled. I'll keep it feritilized along with my roses.
it still might be a montana and didn't bloom till fall if it had been pruned in the spring. many clems in nurserys or shows are pruned specifically to allow them to bloom when being merchandised. but not to worry, clems are adaptable. this year, you can identify the clem for sure when it blooms and adapt your pruning next year to the best choice for most blooms.
google "Clematis on the Web" and click on (sorry too crazed, just got out of the gardening and am transitioning to kitchen, to send a link as some of our nicer DG folks do.)
you will be able to identify your clem easily when it blooms..also post photos for us to look at.
i bought a clematis spoonerii, which used to be considered a montana, but now is reclassified, about 3 years ago when in bloom at a nursery. suffice it to say, even tho i know what it is, it has never re bloomed as it just needs a warmer winter than my zone. by the time it recovers it does not have time to bloom. but it survives and i always hold out hope. this year i will prune it, as i never have in the hopes that it blloms on new growth and i have misread it's nature. just found out a month or so ago that a spoonerii is not a montana.....
your clem journey will be filled with learning and even with study theree is the personal learning curve associated with your habits, your zone and your luck!
You wouldn't happen to have any photos of the vine in question would you? Even just the foliage can be a big help in identifying the clematis.