There are not many perennials in our gardens that can withstand harsh winters. This is especially true for vines. If you are planning to plant a beautiful perennial liana on your site, be sure to pay attention to such a flower as clematis. Preparing for the winter of this plant will not take you much time, but it will please you with its long and bright flowering!
Experienced gardeners begin their preparations for winter at the end of August. During this period, it is necessary to feed the vines with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. This is best done while watering: 50 g of fertilizer per 10-15 liters of water.
How to care for clematis in autumn?
Clematis can already be covered at the end of October. These plants are not afraid of frost. It is necessary to cut the branches of vines, depending on the type of clematis, the length can vary from 20 cm to 1 meter. Then you should cut off the foliage, remove dry and broken shoots. The foliage of most clematis does not fall, so if you do not remove it, in the spring your plant willlook not very nice.
Advice from experienced gardeners: if you don't know which group the vine belongs to, cut off the branches, leaving 40-50 cm above the ground.
Clematis: preparation for winter
Clematis are divided into 3 groups, each of which has its own nuances in pruning.
First group
Such creepers bloom on the shoots (whips) of the last year. The branches of such vines must be preserved during pruning, leaving 1-1.5 m. Here, the length of the vine will depend on you. When choosing such vines for your garden, pay attention to the winter hardiness of the plant. Often on the fences in the gardens you can see clematis "princes", for example, Pink Flamingo.
Clematis of the 1st group should be spudded to a height of 35-40 cm. This should be done in order to protect the plant from death in severe frosty winters. The bush will be able to recover and grow back from the root neck in case of severe frosts.
Second group
Such clematis at the end of spring bloom on branches that have overwintered, and in the middle of summer - on young ones. Accordingly, the whips of such clematis must also be preserved. More beautiful and larger flowers, as a rule, are formed on the branches of the previous year. This type includes varieties Andromeda, Lord Nevill and others.
How to cover clematis of the 2nd group?
The whips are cut at a height of 1 meter, and a little longer if necessary. The leaves must be cut off. Liana needs to be removed from the support and try to unravel. This should be done carefully so as not to break fragile branches.
The bush is spuddingearth, making a mound 30-40 cm high, as in the first case. The branches must be carefully laid in a ring on a mound and sprinkled with dry foliage. Some gardeners cover rare varieties of clematis on top with lutrasil.
Third group
The most popular group among gardeners. These clematis bloom on the branches of the current year, which is why it is not necessary to save the lashes in winter. Another plus of this group is that the plants are very unpretentious, they bloom for a long time and profusely. This group includes Venosa Violacea, the popular Blue River - also of this type of clematis. Preparing for winter for this group is the easiest. Plants are cut at a height of 15-20 cm and simply sprinkled with earth.
That's the whole care of a clematis-type vine. Preparing for the winter of this plant, as you can see, will not be difficult for you.
