Clematis Prince Charles

Cherrysparkle · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:20 pm Post subject: Clematis Prince Charles

Hello, this is my first post so please be patient! I've just planted a Prince Charles clematis in a huge container (the biggest you can buy in B & Q), there were two woody stems (?) growing from it, and so far only one seems to be flowering, the other one just seems dead, is this normal? Also does anyone have any idea how long the plant will live for? I bought it because this type was recommended for container growing, but can't seem to find a life span...

Thanks so much!

Greengage · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:13 pm Post subject:

Clematis can live for many years I have one over 20 yrs old and know some over 50 years old,
You should plant it deeper than the pot you purchased it in, if it gets clematis wilt it can be cut back to ground level and it will regrow, I would not worry about no growth yet from the second stem you can scratch the bark with your nail and if it is gren underneath it will grow in time. good luck with it,

pollen jim · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:27 pm Post subject:

clematis are also very hungry plants and hate drying out! dnt know too much about container planting, but when in the ground your suppose to dig a hole 2 times or more the size and fill with manure, well rotten. at the bottom,and mulch, to feed and to hold moisture, saw this last year on gardeners world.

Cherrysparkle · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your replys guys! I scratched the surface of the dead twig away and there's no green underneath, so I'm assuming it's dead! Should I just cut it off? And Jim I read that on some other website to mulch at the bottom, and threw some very rotted horse manure in for good measure so hopefully that'll keep the water in!

Thanks so much again!

Cherrysparkle · Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:36 pm Post subject:

I just wanted to say that the clematis is now flying, I cut off the dead branch, went away for a week, then came back to find it half way up the wall! No flowers yet, but when it does start to bloom I'll post a picture. Thanks again for all the advice.

Cherrysparkle · Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject:

Oh it grew really well, it started blooming at the end of June and its covered in loads of tiny little flowers (I know it looks a bit top heavy but there's flower buds all over, just not bloomed yet). And it did really well in the heat in full sun. I think it's the perfect container clematis ( my piilu having died a week after going into a pot...).

Cherrysparkle · Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:41 pm Post subject:

Here's the flowers up close they're small but there's loads of them.