The secret to a clematis explosion of blooms in autumn: pruning is key
Many people ask, why do other people's autumn flowers bloom so well, while my clematis looks half-dead? Even if there are flowers, there are only a few. Why is that?
Sorry, blame me, I should have sent this out for everyone earlier. Today I will reveal to everyone the secret of why the experts' clematis explodes with blooms in autumn.
If you want your clematis to explode with blooms in autumn, the most important thing is, prun! ing!
Usually what everyone talks about more is pruning roses; clematis pruning is discussed relatively little. And the key to a clematis explosion of blooms in autumn lies in timely and correct pruning.
If you want your clematis to explode with blooms in autumn, the most important thing is, prun! ing!
Usually what everyone talks about more is pruning roses; clematis pruning is discussed relatively little. And the key to a clematis explosion of blooms in autumn lies in timely and correct pruning.
Autumn flowers are mainly from Group 2, Group 3 and the F series clematis. After the peak bloom period of clematis in spring, we can properly prune the spent flowers. When the two months of July and August, which bring the most problems, arrive, do we just leave them alone?
Of course not!
For most clematis, old branches that have already bloomed will not bloom again, or will bloom very little.
So what do we need to do? Simply put, renew the branches!
At the beginning of August, the temperature difference between day and night increases. At this time, Group 2 and Group 3 clematis can be hard pruned. Hard pruning does not mean cutting everything off, but keeping 3-7 nodes of branch.
Actually, even without hard pruning, many branches will dry up under the severe heat, and the leaves will scorch and turn yellow. You can look below at the state of the leaves of small clematis after summer; they usually become aged and yellow.
Generally, 10 days after hard pruning, buds begin to sprout; after one month they will have grown very tall and be entirely new branches. Around National Day, flower buds will grow from the nodes of the new branches.
For the F series, which goes dormant in summer, hard pruning is also a must. Including bell-shaped clematis, if you want abundant flower buds in autumn, you must hard prune.
Evergreen clematis and Group 1 pruning clematis can be left alone; you only need to prune the spent flowers. Lazy people can also skip this step and just leave them be.
The picture shows 'Purple Dragon Crystal' sprouting new branches after summer hard pruning
The picture shows 'Chris' growing wildly after summer hard pruning
The picture shows the new branches and flower buds sprouting after summer hard pruning
Variety: 'Magic Fountain'
In the picture above you can see the traces after hard pruning; it is still this 'Magic Fountain'
Why not hard prune small seedlings?
Because small seedlings are relatively weak and need to keep enough leaves for photosynthesis. It looks to you like the leaves are not growing, but actually in the first year it is growing roots. Just like many experts raising small rose seedlings, in the first year they cut off all the flower buds and do not let them bloom; this is also called building roots.
Flowering consumes a large amount of nutrients. Let the small seedling grow its root system well so it can absorb more nutrients, and then exploding with blooms will not be too late.
What is called a large seedling and what is called a small seedling?
Cuttings taken last year and grown to this year, basically defined on TB as 2-year seedlings, are small seedlings
Cuttings taken the year before last and grown to this year, basically defined on TB as 3-year seedlings, are large seedlings
Sorry, I've mentioned an unspoken rule again
Clematis on TB labelled as 2-year seedlings actually do not have a real seedling age of 2 years. Cut in March 2016 - to May 2017, this is called 2 years.
We do not define it that way here. We define it as a 1.5-year seedling. Everyone should understand this now.