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Brought to you in cooperation with the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners. Each week we feature the most popular questions received on their "Hotline". |
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Week of 4/19/04 It looks as if we are finally into the spring weather pattern, and with the warmer air and moisture, things are really popping in the garden. Our Hostas appeared, shot up at least four inches, and began to unfurl all in three days time!
Another word of warning should be offered about pruning flowering shrubs and Clematis. Early spring is a good time for pruning some plants, particularly if they bloom on new wood or this season’s growth. If you are not sure, it’s best to err on the side of caution and prune after blooming, rather than to prune and lose this season’s flowering. Many rose specialists agree that now is a better time to clean up dead or broken wood and remove other winter damage rather than in early winter.
This is a good time to address another inquiry that also apparently has its roots in British horticulture and publications. Many of these, when referring to the cultural requirements of Clematis, suggest the addition of lime to the soil. Unfortunately, this seemingly innocuous suggestion has lead to the supposition that a non-acidic, limey (no pun intended) soil is needed to grow Clematis successfully. It has actually been established that Clematis like many other perennials, seem to thrive in slightly acidic soil. A pH of 6.5 is generally considered ideal. The cultural canard regarding the need for adding lime to the soil originated with the observation that, in Britain, some Clematis, notably the native Clematis vitalba or “Old Man” Clematis, seems to prefer chalky soil. Research by some horticulturalists has shown that the reason Clematis seems to thrive has little to do with the neutral soil, but rather with the fact that this soil tends to retain moisture, and it has long been known that successful Clematis culture depends on a regular, generous supply of moisture.
Articles submitted by Bill Latimer, Johnson County Extension
Horticulture Assistant and Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent.
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Just
one word of caution about the April 15 “Average Frost Date”: it only means
that there is a 50-50 chance of 32
If
you are growing early, large-flowered Clematis, remember to start pruning
at the top of the plant and do what the English call “tidying”, a light
clean up of dead or broken stems. Reserve more extensive pruning for later
bloomers that generally flower on new wood. With these, start at the base
of the plant, and leave only the first two or three pairs of new buds. If
you have healthy, older vines from previous years, you should see vigorous
new growth coming up from the ground. This is often true of plants that,
for one reason or another, have died clear back to the ground. In the case
of early spring pruning of Clematis and flowering shrubs, it is a good
time to follow up with a good feeding and watering to help the plant
recover from the shock of pruning. Feeding at this time is definitely
preferred to later feeding when the plant is in bloom. A good general
garden fertilizer like a 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 is good. In the case of
Clematis or other heavy feeding vines, I prefer a shovelful of composted
cow manure added carefully to the base of each plant, keeping it back
approximately six inches from the stem. The composted manure not only
feeds the vine, but it provides additional protection for the roots and
moderates root temperatures throughout the growing season. 
We
are often asked what “full sun” means in terms of plant aspect or
location. Some confusion can be traced to the fact that many garden books
and other sources of horticultural information originate in the UK. These
sources routinely suggest growing plants of many varieties in “full sun”.
I’m sure that most of us appreciate that full sun in England, Wales,
Scotland and Ireland is quite different than our midwestern full sun in
intensity and affect. The British Isles have a so-called maritime climate
that they share with parts of New England and the Pacific Northwest in
North America. Our midwestern equivalent to their full sun comes closer to
partial or dappled sun/shade provided by somewhat protected understory
locations. By protected, we usually refer to relief from the unrelenting
hot winds that at times accompany our late springs and summers, and that
are not always positive features of the growing conditions our area
offers. With a little awareness, common sense and willingness to provide
additional moisture to compensate in part for the heat and wind, we can be
more successful in approximating maritime conditions.