4 Clematis Plant Care Tips: How to Grow and Care for Clematis

Clematis plants are a type of flowering vine with around 300 species and many clematis varieties that range in color and size. Clematis vines are climbers that can quickly cover a trellis or pergola in your garden. These plants typically bloom from early summer through early fall, revealing flowers that can be deep purple, pink, white, red, blue, and even yellow, as with the Clematis tangutica species. Clematis have perennial vines that are typically deciduous wood vines, although some species are evergreen.

Consider these factors before planting your clematis.

1. 1. Timing: Late spring and early fall are the best times for planting clematis plants.
2. 2. Planting: Dig a deep hole in your garden, and carefully place your clematis into the planting hole one or two inches below the soil surface. Backfill the hole and water the soil. If you’re transplanting a clematis, be sure to do so in the early spring and dig wide enough around the plant to avoid harming the root system.
3. 3. Watering: Maintain moist soil and cool roots during the drier seasons, especially if it’s your clematis plant’s first year in your garden.
4. 4. Pruning: Pruning is essential for proper clematis care. Pruning can discourage clematis wilt and stop the spread of fungal diseases like powdery mildew.

For your clematis plant to grow properly, work on providing the right conditions.

1. 1. Position clematis plants in full sun. Most clematis plants thrive in full sun, although some cultivars like ‘Henryi,’ ‘Jackmanii,’ and ‘Nelly Moser’ can live in partial shade. Without enough sun, your clematis plants will produce fewer flowers, so plant your clematis in an area with good sun exposure.
2. 2. Use well-draining, moist soil. Fertilizing the soil once a season can help your clematis get the nutrients it needs. Add a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to maintain heat and hydration.
3. 3. Support clematis vines with twine. Although there are some bush-like varieties, most types of clematis are of the vining variety. Climbing can be difficult for a new clematis, so add twine or wire to help the plant’s twining leaves grasp onto trellises or other forms of support.

When pruning clematis, pay attention to what pruning style will work best for your specific cultivar. Clematis plants are typically divided into three pruning groups.

1. 1. Group one: This group of clematis blooms on old wood during the early spring from buds that survived from the previous year. Prune these varieties sparingly, clearing dead wood well after the spring bloom.
2. 2. Group two: This versatile group can bloom on both old and new wood, typically during the late spring and early summer. Clematis plants within this group can bloom more than once during each season all the way into early fall. Prune this group by cutting out dead wood prior to the blooming season. Prune about seven inches off the stems to allow new growth.
   
3. 3. Group three: These clematis plants bloom on new wood only during the summer and fall months. This group goes dormant during the winter, returning with new stems each growing season. To prune, cut back all of the last year’s growth until the stems stand roughly twelve inches off the ground.

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