Climber Care - Generally

[muddywellies]

Climber Care - Generally

19 Mar '06 7:44 pm

I'm talking here principly here about Clematis and Wisteria of which I grow quite a few in my location. I've found the same cultivation holds true for Trachelospermum, Jasminum, Hydrangea, Pileostogia and Pyrostegia. In all cases I'm speaking of my own personal experience growing in a mild maritime climate in the SW of England.

Plant at least 18" (45cm) from any masonry wall, less for timber fences. 'Tickle' the roots before planting and remove all plastic supports and substitute with your own string. If you omit the removal of plastic supports at planting they will be forgotten and ultimately can strangle a plant. Heck! I have trouble opening a plastic sweet wrapper nowadays! Water-in moderately and maintain damp soil throughout growing season - never let it dry out in the first 12 months.

At the end of each of the first TWO growing seasons chop the climber right back to about 12" high (30cm). This looks cruel but your patience will be rewarded. Because it compels the plant to concentrate on building the root stock, it does not waste energy attempting to sustain life throughout a long plant that is too big for small roots to support in winter. By the third year I let the plant alone - up to a point. Here's the point.

Books will tell readers that climbers like Wisteria need pruning about twice a year. (These books are trying not to discourage readers. I can safely assume that readers here are already converted to the pleasures of gardening and do not need to be encouraged! I can see no point in watching a climber extend long trails if you do not want the trail or if you are encouraging more buds for flowering - it's a complete waste of the plant's energy. So keep cutting back throughout the growing season. Last summer by way of example, I was cutting back my Wisterias about every 10 days or so where they were not wanted. My reward is the thousands of buds available this spring.

In my walled garden I have put 1.5 miles of support wire on the walls and built timber wind breaks 10ft (3m)high with a further 1.5 miles of timber. I have plenty of room to establish climbers. But even if I hadn't I would still have a lot of climbers as they are SO rewarding. If you haven't already done so, plant some small-flowered examples among your borders and allow them to ramble over your shrubbery. The flowering times of climber and shrub can either extend the flowering or coincide to produce a bumper display.

[Liza]

Thank you!

19 Mar '06 10:07 pm

Michael!

I did love your advice, and especially your explanation, about WHY we have to cut back certain of the climbers you refer to. But concerning our large, LATE Spring/Summer flowering Clematis,they should be pruned so short during the first two years , which is by the end of Winter, and NOT in the end of their growing season. The others, late Summer/ Autumnal flowering Clematis( smaller flowers) , though --I have to add--- always need such severe pruning(: 50/60cm, f. ex. Madame Julia Correvon, Jackmanii Superba) during the same season (: end of Winter). I think, though, that the VERY early Spring flowering Clematis (Armandii?), do need to be pruned at the end of their growing season, like you say...

And you are right! We can all always invent other ways of supporting the climbers we love , even if there is not any "proper" support, walls, fences, etc. For example:

Attachments

Niobe with Multi Blue, and Trachelospermum by the entrance with its fantastic jasminoides scent!

Julia Corevon with the Rose Guirlande d' Amour

Ernest Markham with Madame de Coultre

Nelly Moser with Ville de Lyon

Last edited by Liza on 20 Mar '06 9:08 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Dixie]

climbers

20 Mar '06 5:29 am

Your advice is most valuable,Michael,thank you. I am about to cut back my Jasmine over the archway to the paddocks --the goldfinches nest deep in the tangle of branches at the top ,and they have finished now .The jasmine grows over the top of itself here, and needs a good cut right back to start affresh every 3-4 years.
I have a 4 year old 'Crepuscle' which has now reached the top of the house rails and is moving along them , as I wanted .It drips down in gorgeous clusters. As it is looking bare around the base,I am wondering how to encourage fresh growth .Would cutting back some be too drastic for it ? I have let it mostly have its head till now.
Dixie.

Attachments

Crepuscle at 3 years old

[Liza]

It is really ....

20 Mar '06 7:28 am

...a "different story", pruning a climbing Rose, Dixie! And I'm sure, Michael agrees...

It depends on whether it is newly planted or not, and whether it is a repeat flowering or not...

As far as I know, Crepuscule it is a David Austin Rose and Moosey herself describes her own in her personal lovely style...She is a repeat flowering Rose, therefore, has to be pruned in Spring, together with the rest of the Roses:

Just cut out dead and exhausted wood and the longest main stems, to where a strong branch arises. And shorten the side shoots by two thirds or more. In order to fill the gup at the base of the plant, you can add a flowering pot/ pots, or create a small border full of Salvias, or short Agapanthus, or anything your so artistic self tells you to...Good luck!!

[Dixie]

Thank you

20 Mar '06 7:54 am

Thank you Liza. Crepuscle has non-stop flowering - even in winter several brave little blooms are looking at me as I pass ! I will examine carefully the whole plant and follow your advice .I generally prune in August, when the first shoots appear, so I can'go with' the new growth . Dead branches are usually removed when they happen .
I do love the natural way your beautiful clematis are featured around your home --Inspiring .
Dixie

[Liza]

Thank you ...

20 Mar '06 8:10 am

....for the kind words! And I love your " little blooms are looking to me " expression, because it shows your tender attitude towards your plants!.. Yes! They are little darlings looking at us!

[muddywellies]

Climbers generally

20 Mar '06 8:55 pm

I agree with Lisa, if you stick with what I began this post with and Lisa's advice about cutting out the dead wood and any branches that are crossing and rubbing against each other then you won't go far wrong. I personally think the word 'prune' is all-too often at fault here as it gives many people the idea that all is required is a 'light trim'. But it's not a hair cut! "Hack" would be a more descriptive term that ought to be used upon ESTABLISHED plants.

I was amazed and inspired myself after seeing Lisa's Julia Coravon rose - definitely one to look out for. I really ought to put together some photos with my post but rarely have the spare time to 'fiddle with finding them'. Currently I am putting together some plant pages for my web site but have not uploaded them yet.

Anybody got Rosa Rubus? My three year-old specimen is a wonder to behold and in such a short time that I really should get a photo for everyone from last year. A single rose with a powerful scent. The first summer the flower clusters contained 7 flowers, the second year they were 12-14, last summer they were 24! This year .........See what I mean? Already coming into leaf - can't wait!

[Liza]

Dear Michael,...

20 Mar '06 9:09 pm

.....Please! Share with us all your lovely garden! Send us some photos of your wonders!

No, I personally don't have Rosa Rubus in the garden, but I would love to admire yours and share your pride and your happiness! After all, gardening is sharing , and not only gardening advice or baby plants , but also gardening/garden wonders! Photos, please!!

But I am so intrigued by your Rubus wonder! I'm going to search for her in my huge Rose book...She sounds like a Floribunda or Polyantha by your description ( a... cover plant??)...

P.S. Well. Nothing is perfect, and my book , too... But I personally have some really beautiful creatures in my garden, not included in this book...Anyway! Your enthusiasm for your Rose is much more importantant, and I'm sure she's a red beauty!...Photo, please!

[Liza]

Your Rosa Rubus!

21 Mar '06 9:07 am

Thinking about this melodiously named Rose, I said to myself: "But why do I believe that this plant is red?? - Because Rubus means red!- Wrong! Ruber means red! And then, the Rose should have been called Rubra - Rosa Rubra = The Red Rose. So, what is Rubus??"

And then, I opened my other huge book, and I discovered that Rubus is commonly the Blackberry!! After this, it is the turn of the Google: Rosa Rubus:

www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_i ... =200011308

And , if you browse on the "illustration" at the bottom, you have a design of a plant that looks like a ....polyantha wild simple flowered Rose!

Michael, is this your Rose?

[muddywellies]

Rosa Rubus

21 Mar '06 5:30 pm

Liza,
I followed your link to the efloras web site. Yuch!!! Those botanic descriptions! I think my plant was somewhere in all that botanic description. Best bet is to wait a few days and I will get my picture uploaded (I have put two garden images on the front page). Failing that, go to Google images and type in the name (rosa rubus)and straight away you will have a picture - (pictures 3 + 4).