Clematis Armandii Wind Damage

Two things does the container drain , if so are you feeding it, looks a large

plant for the size of the container .

 

At last someone who knows that using crocks in the bottom of pots actually causes drainage to be reduced rather than encouraging this. I read some research that was carried out over a century ago where it was proved that drainage was best controlled if a) the pot was filled with compost troughout and b) water drains away much more effectively if the pot is set in a sand plunge bed, but to some extent standing the pot on sand helps drainage, even standing the pot directly onto a concrete surface gives better drainage than using gravel or crocks in the pot. Pot feet are a disaster also as the pots are more likely to tip over in a wind.

 

Roy

I have tried both ways standing pots with crocks ,and full compost

pots , the best results I have is still with crocks ,in all my pots stood on

concrete , Full pots just make homes for wood lice , and standing on my clay/sand soil worm casts which block up the drainage . The best results I have had is to bury the first few inches /cmtrs in the soil with compost filled pots .

but on the flat hard surface , there is just a build up of wet sticky soil

which stops drainage ,  I still pref ere crocks on a hard surface . Which I believe the pot was stood on .  I have just had to re-pot a large Dalia because I filled the pot with compost and stood it on a path , it had almost drowned water was lying on the surface .  I do what I see works for me and that is all I can go on .

 

Seems to me you are using the wrong compost, water lying on the surface of compost certainly would indicate compaction with too fine particles in your compost mix. Roots also need air and this can only be provided by adding a combination of larger particles to your mix. I find most JI (soil based) composts are too fine in texture and do not drain well enough, I always add bark chips, composted bark, perlite, gritsand and/or hen grit to aid important air gaps which will also aid drainage. I also find that most peat free composts drain too qiuckly, so a combination of JI and peat free works very well. Get your compost drainage correct, then their is no need add crocks, better to fill your pots with compost and stand your pots onto a sand bed.

 

Cheers

 

Roy

 

I have noticed that in some cases, in the early stages of planting out, clematis top growth seems to get ahead of root growth, to the extent that the root system can no longer support the extensive top growth. Teasing out roots seems to make little difference in my case. I have found that a pot bound plant, where the roots are tightly packed in its pot is the most likely candidate for this root restriction. I have overcome this by potting on the plant into the next size pot and cutting back any top growth down to two nodes above compost level. Keep pinching out top growth during the growing period, allowing the next set of nodes to develope. The plant will then be ready for planting out in the Autumn or the following spring. Again it is an advantage to prune back any newly planted clematis taking away about half of its top growth if planting out during the growing season and to cut back any top growth to encourage more stems to develope and to allow the root system to develope. Another cause of poor root development can be poorly drained, or unsuitable compost. I have never grown C. armandii, because our garden is too exposed and I do not have enough room to accommodate such a plant, but my general rule is that some clematis thrive best if planted in the ground, mainly these are the vigorous types such as C. montana, fargeoidese, rehderiana,  Kaiu and although I have never grown it I would put armandii in this catagory.

 

You mention that you are growing C. Freckles, this plant does well in full sun, and requires very well drained soil or compost to grow and flower to its best. Despite what is said about not priuning this plant I find that I have to prune each year, timed to when my Forsythia is in bloom. I usually cut Freckles back to about 3 feet and find that it will easily make 4 or 5 feet of extra growth, which means that winter flowering is in sight and not 30 to 50 feet away, needing a ladder or binoculars to appreciate the flowers.

 

Roy