Caring for clematis: three mistakes to avoid

Created: 05/18/2022, 11:30 am

By: Ines Alms

Clematis or clematis unfold magnificent flowers, but are considered sensitive.

Proper care of the climbing plant is important here.

Munich – About 300 different species belong to the clematis plant genus, also known as clematis.

And one blooms and smells nicer than the other.

Since the clematis tend to fungal diseases, however, special care is necessary.

The most common mistakes include, for example, unfavorable bed neighbors or pruning at the wrong time.

Caring for clematis: Mistake no. 1 – Wrong bed neighbors

Proper care rewards the clematis with a unique scent.

(Iconic image) © Shotshop/Imago

The clematis sits well in the ground, but does it take care of itself?

Maybe it's because of the wrong bed neighbors.

Above all, the roots of perennials and shrubs compete with the climbing plants.

The foot of the clematis likes it slightly shady, so low-growing plants such as bluebells, blue cushions or hostas are well suited.

Mistake #2: Damaging clematis roots or shoots

Clematis roots are very delicate.

Therefore, you should only carefully rake the soil in the root area of ​​the plant when weeding.

The shoots of the plant must not be damaged either, otherwise fungi will find points of attack and have an easy time of it.

In order to properly care for the sensitive clematis, you should only water the plant in the root area, but not over the leaves.

Avoid waterlogging, which weakens the plant and, in extreme cases, leads to root rot.

Mistake #3: Incorrect pruning of the clematis

Because there are so many types of clematis that flower at different times, there are a number of things that can go wrong when pruning.

In order to cut the clematis correctly, you must pay attention to the respective timing for the cutting groups:

• Pruning group 1: Prune early-flowering clematis (April, May) after flowering, if at all, but only if the plant becomes too large or bare.

• Pruning group 2: flowering twice a year, then a light pruning in late autumn or early spring and another one after the main flowering in summer.

• Pruning group 3: For herbaceous clematis, a radical pruning is carried out in late autumn or early spring.

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If the leaves of the clematis wither and show brown spots, the affected parts must be cut back to the healthy wood and disposed of in the residual waste, otherwise there is a risk of clematis wilt, a fungal disease, spreading.