Clematis 'Evipo 008' (Franziska Maria)
This is for Beckie, of Dragonfly Corner, who thinks she can't grow Clematis. I'm confident she can. Clematis are easy to grow once you know a few secrets, and proper planting is probably the most important. The first thing, before planting, before purchasing, is figuring out where to grow a Clematis. Some need to be grown in full sun, while others need protection from strong afternoon sun.
Clematis 'Evipo 023' (Cezanne) would be less vulnerable to earwigs were it growing in full sun.
Figure out the sun pattern of the spot at the time the Clematis will bloom, then find a cultivar that will thrive in those conditions.
The second most important part of planting is the soil. Have you ever seen the legendary swamp clematis or the equally legendary desert clematis? Neither have I, because they doesn't exist. Clematis want that hard to achieve, yet oft-cited "moist, well-drained soil." Adding copious amounts of organic matter before planting gets a vine off to a good start. Don't try to plant a Clematis in areas where water stands after a rain. Planting one to climb a tree or shrub is recommended only for the experienced. It's best to start with a man-made structure. Obelisks are easy, but a wall trellis is fine, as long as the Clematis is planted beyond the drip line of the eaves, about 12 inches out from the wall.
I'm planting a new Clematis in a raised bed, to climb the trellis with another Clematis. This works best if both Clematis are the same type. Here, both are Type II/Early Large Flowered hybrids. The first thing I do is bareroot the plant by removing all the potting soil.
It's best to plant the Clematis deeper than it was in the pot. Remove the lowest set of leaves.
before
after
Then set the plant sideways and slightly angled in the hole, with the roots spreading outward, away from the support.
Bury the the node where you removed the leaves, about 2 inches below the surface.
Water well and keep moist during the first year in the ground. It's a good idea to cut off any blooms, so the plant's energy goes into making roots. Mulch well to keep the roots cool and moist. Next spring, I'll cut the emerging vines back to about a foot to encourage good branching, and I'll fertilize with rose or tomato fertilizer. In three years, this plant will be loaded with blooms on sturdy vines.