What you need to know about planting clematis in the northwest and caring for them

Despite the exotic appearance of decorative vines, planting clematis in the northwest of our country has long been successfully practiced among gardeners. Breeders have developed special plant varieties that are resistant to prolonged sudden cold snap. Even the harsh climate of Siberia will not prevent the breeder from enjoying the abundant flowering of clematis, which continues until the end of September. Planting vines on your site will help decorate any gazebo, arch or terrace, turn them into real works of art.

Many varieties and types: counting will not work

On the territory of modern Europe, clematis began to grow as garden plants almost five centuries ago. In natural conditions, they can be found anywhere in the world, except for those places that are covered with eternal ice. Wild species are distinguished by small flower sizes that do not detract from their beauty. There are many classifications of clematis: by trimming method, the length of the vine and even the principle of winter storage. Here is the most popular classification, including the species common among Russian gardeners:

• Atragene, or Prince. They are represented by vines (up to 3.5 m long) with a woody stem capable of tightly wrapping around frame supports. The leaves are large, glossy, deep green, divided into two or three parts.

• Clematis, or Clematis. They can be short (shrubs) and tall (vines). Leaves are slightly pubescent, green or light green, whole or split into several parts. The flowers are large, snow-white.

• Lasiantha, or Lasiantha. A distinctive feature of the group is amazing flowers in the form of drooping bells, collected in inflorescences of several pieces. The leaf plate is wide, glossy, dissected.

• Viorna, or Viorna. Clementises of this group can be shrubs, dwarf shrubs and creeping vines. The leaf plate is wide, glossy, dissected. The shape of the petals is arched.

All these species, varieties and hybrids are frost-resistant, their planting is possible in the north-west of our country, some do not even require special shelter for the winter. The roots of clematis are long, narrow, weakly branched. The flower is a perennial plant, some species are capable of braiding a support, while others require a garter. Liana consists of many internodes, on which there are several leaves and buds. Parts of the vines are classified, which is important in further care:

• on the lowest part of the vine there are shoot buds and a small number of medium-sized leaves that are not dissected;
• the middle part contains many leaves and shoots, only full cuttings can be obtained from it;
• the upper part is the most beautiful - it is on it that a huge number of flowers are located.

Tip: when choosing clematis for vertical gardening, it is necessary to take into account the arrangement of flowers on the liana: varieties with a long stem will decorate only the upper part of the support, and half-shrubs will completely cover it with flowers.

Some varieties of clematis differ from most species in that their lower and upper parts are combined. Such a vine is an impressive sight: it is covered with a solid carpet of beautiful flowers. The tillering center is the main feature of the plant. The roots are intertwined underground, with many buds in their center. When leaving, it must be borne in mind that if the ground part of the flower dies, in the spring clematis will easily grow many new shoots.

Several ways to propagate decorative liana

Clematis are not a rare plant due to the fact that they reproduce by all methods known to gardeners. They are suitable for obtaining young specimens even in the regions of Siberia. Despite the short summer, all seedlings, with proper care, root successfully and winter well. Here are the main breeding methods for decorative liana:

• Seeds. In the second decade of March, the seeds are placed in seed boxes with loose nutrient soil, slightly pressed and sprinkled with a small amount of earth. Cover containers with glass or foil and leave in a warm, bright place, periodically moistening the soil. After a couple of weeks, green shoots will appear. As they build up a pair of strong leaves, the seedlings dive into separate containers.

• Cuttings. Cuttings are cut from the long shoot of the vegetative part of the vine. Each slice must include one internode with two nodes. The cutting is immersed in the soil, consisting of equal parts of bottom peat and sand, almost completely. 2-3 cm of the stem should remain on the soil surface. Having created greenhouse conditions for the cuttings, they are left warm to build a strong root system. Care consists in removing condensation from the walls of the containers and daily sparse watering.

• Layers. In the fall, several strong shoots are left without pruning for wintering. In the spring, using plastic or metal brackets, the shoots are attached to the soil and begin to water. The buds will wake up, the formation of young shoots will begin. At this stage, the planting sites should be covered with fresh soil. After a month, young clematis must be separated from the mother plant, taking care not to damage the roots.

• By dividing the root. Using a sharp garden tool, the shrub is divided into two parts. Cutting points are lubricated with garden varnish and left to dry. You can now land on your permanent residence.

Advice: if a novice gardener from Siberia decided to breed clematis on his site, the first thing he should pay attention to is the frost resistance of the variety. It is desirable that the species remain viable in frosts above 20 ° C.

Saplings obtained by any of these methods require the same further care. They need to be watered as the earthen coma dries up 2 cm in depth, the soil should be loosened weekly. Garden pests do not sleep - a preventive examination of the underside of the leaves is required. Before planting on flower beds, especially in the north-west of our country, babies need periodic hardening in the fresh air with a gradual increase in the interval of being outdoors.

The correct planting site is the key to abundant flowering

Places for planting clematis should be sunny, open on all sides. Liana grows well in slightly shaded areas, but in the north-western regions of our country it is best to find the most lighted place for a flower bed. You should not plant a flower close to the walls of houses, the distance between them should be more than one meter. After the rain, water flows from the roof, and a constant accumulation of moisture forms on the flower bed; in such an environment, there is a possibility of decay of the root system. It is also undesirable to plant near tall trees. They will shade the liana with their crown, it will stop growing, and you can not wait for flowering at all.

Tip: shrub vines must be immediately tied to supports, this will facilitate subsequent care. Within a month, in the absence of any frame, the resulting shoots will intertwine with each other, and it will not work to separate them without breaking.

Due to the peculiarities of the root system of clematis, the moon for planting should be deep (up to 70 cm), but not too wide (45-60 cm). A kilogram of rotted organic matter, 100-200 g of any mineral fertilizer is placed in a pit, dug up and formed at the bottom of a small mound up to 20 cm high.The seedling is placed vertically on a mound, and its roots are distributed evenly so that they hang down. The lower part of the stem must be covered with river sand, this will serve as an excellent prevention against the occurrence of putrefactive processes.

Tip: the hole is not completely covered with soil - it is worth leaving the buds open. As young shoots form, the remaining soil is gradually added to the pit.

Now a bucket of water is carefully poured into each hole, and the surface of the earth is mulched with grass, straw or peat. Such a procedure will greatly facilitate the care of the vine; it will be possible to forget about weeding and loosening for a long time. Having found weak and excessively elongated shoots in clematis, they are almost completely cut off. It is worth slightly shading the seedlings in the first two months after planting.

A few tips for caring for a blooming vine

Plant care begins with the arrival of spring. Siberian gardeners begin to remove shelters from bushes in mid or late April. First, the uppermost part is slightly opened for the successful acclimatization of overwintered clematis. When the outdoor thermometer stops dropping below 12-15 ° C, the cover is removed completely. It is necessary to shade the bushes for a while so that the active spring sun does not destroy the awakened buds.

Tip: It is best to free plants from covering material in wet weather, when the sky is overcast. This will save the parts of the plant that are not strong after a long winter from drying out.

Clematis like watering plentifully, but do not overfill the plant. With the onset of stable heat, an adult specimen needs to add one bucket of water 2-3 times a week. It is required to water the liana carefully, distribute moisture over the entire surface of the flower bed. After the onset of flowering, when watering, they try to prevent water droplets from settling on the surface of leaves and flowers. Ugly brown spots can form on them, the liana will lose its decorative effect.

Advice: with the onset of cold weather, watering is gradually reduced, and by the end of September they stop altogether. The combination of high humidity and frozen soil is deadly for the root system of vines and shrubs.

Like all flowering plants, clematis loves “tasty”, nutritious feeding. Over-matured organic matter should be bought from trusted sellers so as not to infect delicate roots with larvae of harmful insects. Fertilization should be done according to the following plan:

• With the arrival of spring, vines need a large amount of nitrogen and organic fertilizers. Nitrogen will help them grow many young shoots and succulent leaves, and help them prepare for flowering.
• Before laying the buds, the owner should pamper the pets by applying a handful of granular fertilizers with a high phosphorus content under the root. This will provide it with guaranteed lush blooming vines.
• After flowering, clematis need potassium dressing. This will prepare them for a long and harsh winter.

Pests love to feast on the juice of the tender parts of clematis. If the owner neglects the weekly preventive examination, then soon the vine may show:

1. Spider mite with its shiny cobwebs.
2. Aphid colonies near deciduous stalks.

At weekly intervals, the entire plant should be treated with any systemic insecticide 3-4 times. And in the root system of clematis, a nematode can settle, which likes the roots. This means that a serious mistake was made when caring for the vine - a harmful insect entered the soil with organic fertilizers. It is also necessary to use insecticidal agents, watering the soil under the plant abundantly.

To complete the care of clematis in Siberia after the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to create all conditions for wintering for vines. Plants should be trimmed and covered with any breathable material (burlap). Some varieties do not prune or shorten the shoots one third of their length.Vines are bent to the ground and fixed with brackets, covering material is laid on top.

Clematis are the most suitable plants for growing in the regions of Siberia. The exotic beauty of the decorative liana will brighten up such a short summer. A combination of rose bushes and lush flowering of clematis will turn any site into a corner of the Garden of Eden. I can't even believe that the cold will soon come and everything will disappear ... To be reborn again in the spring.