What to do with a wall or fence with nothing on it? Plant a clematis, of course!

Clematis combine the elegance of a perennial vine with the beauty of vibrant flowers. You can plant multiple varieties in the same space to ensure blooms from spring and into fall. Garage walls, fences, gazebos, and arbours become transformed when covered by a gorgeous flowering vine.

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Location

Clematis will grow in most locations, even on a bright north wall, but prefer four or more hours of sun each day. Clematis will tolerate full or partial sun.

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Planting

The first year of care is the most critical: Clematis require well-drained, deep, rich soil with plenty of water and regular fertilization.

• Dig a hole 18” deep and wide. If planting next to a wall, plant at least 9” away from the wall.
• Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole and add bone meal, which will provide nutrition the root system.
• Clay soils are a problem: dig out as much clay as possible, and place 2-3” if gravel in the bottom of the hole. Clay creates pooling under the soil, which will affect whether the plant drains properly.
• Add mixed topsoil and water well. Place the plant in the hole so that 6-8” of the stem – including the crown – will be below the soil level. Note that the crown of the plant is the place where the stems meet the roots, and where the transfer of energy occurs. Fill the hole with remaining soil mix and water again.

Regardless of the lighting that the upper part of the plant enjoys, the base of the plant – the roots under the soil – should remain cool and protected from the heat of the day. Place rocks, mulch, or even other low-growing perennials around the base of the clematis to shade the root system.

There are three categories of clematis – group 1, 2, or 3 –which require pruning at different times. Sometimes the label on your clematis will tell you which pruning group its in, but you can also make a general rule that Clematis that bloom in the spring are generally in Group 1; summer and fall bloomers are in Group 2; and clematis which continually bloom are in Group3.

Group 1 (sometimes called “A”) bloom on old wood. These require little to no pruning; you can prune them if they start to get lanky or grow into a space where they are unwanted. Prune right after flowering. This makes sense, if you think about it: since blooms can appear on old wood, there’s no need to prune the plant to encourage blooms.

Group 2 (sometimes called “B”) will have blooms twice in the year, and blooms on both old and new wood. You can prune these clematis varieties for shape in the first couple years, then pruning is optional to cut out weak stems or contain the spread early in the season. You can prune out weaker stems or to tidy that plant.

Group 3 (sometimes called “C”) have continuous blooms, but only blooms on new wood. “New wood” means the growth that appears this year. So, let’s say that, year after year, you stop pruning the plant. It will keep growing taller, and the blooms will only appear on the stems furthest from the ground, leaving the bottom stems quite empty. For this reason, Group 3 clematis should be pruned back to a couple of sets of fat buds a few feet from the ground in February or March. This will help keep the blooms closer to eye level.

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Where to Prune

Find a node (also called a leaf axil bud) which is a joint on the stem where buds begin to branch out. Make your cut just above the node with clean, sharp pruners. Pruners should be cleaned with a mild bleach solution so as not to pass on fungal diseases between plants. Pruners should be sharp for your safety: dull pruners are more likely to require excess force, slip accidentally, and cause injury. Keep yourself – and your clematis! – safe by using the right equipment!

A final note on pruning! Regardless of the type of clematis you have, the first year of pruning is critical: ideally, the first year after planting, all clematis should be pruned back hard in February or March. Prune to a fat set of buds. Your purpose here is to provide structure as well as appealing shape. You want to train the base of the clematis horizontally, while encouraging the rest of the stems to grow in a fan shape. A little extra attention early in the clematis’ life will be repaid with years of beauty and enjoyment.

Always protect your clematis by providing mulch at the base of the clematis! The roots are a little sensitive, so wood mulch, straw, or leaves can provide some additional protections during the winter. (If only it was that easy for the rest of us!). A final note on mulch: never use grass clippings! While they are plentiful and provide insulation, they also become too compressed and withhold too much moisture, causing molds to form too close to the healthy clematis bark. It is safe to remove mulch in spring when the buds on the trees in your yard begin to open. Be sure to watch for our usual late frosts!