Any clematis experts about?

[LapdanceShoeshine]

I’ve got 4 flowering atm, all in separate pots.

The white one in the clay pot has been in a while, doesn’t grow well & something eats the flowers.
The white one in the small white pot only went in late last year & seems to be doing better.
The pink tall one is in the LH grey pot & has been in a couple of years - not many flowers yet.
The blue tall one is in the RH grey pot (just barely visible) & has been in for ages. I did top-dress about 2 years ago. I never remember to prune before it starts shooting, & I can’t bear to cut the shoots off then & also the dead bits support the new growth!

Anyway I was wondering whether it might be a good idea to combine them into 1 or 2 larger pots - maybe the 2 small whites in one & the other 2 in a much bigger one (I have a couple of immense ones)

If so, how & when?

TIA

I have 3 in a large pot with a obilisk for them to climb over, mostly because they didn’t do too well in individual pots.
They are doing better this year ( year2). One is still quite weedy, but I think it’s a late summer flowering variety. I currently feed them about once every 3 weeks. I pruned them quite severely in the spring, regardless of shoots.
I put stones in the pot, as they like their roots in the shade.

It depends when they flower as to when they need pruning - but pruning does increase flowering. If you are growing them in containers, I think they will do much better in your ‘immense’ pots.
www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-guide-for-pruning-a-clematis

Thanks, both So they could all go in one pot?

Thanks for the pruning link, fairies. They’re all flowering at the same time & I think they’re group 2 & should be cut down (gently) to a pair of new buds? I wouldn’t currently try to prune the 2 little white ones though.

Black pots are the immense ones! I have another one like the green one too (which was the happy home of a clematis Montana for many years, in a very inhospitable spot. Had to cut it down to move the pot out of the way of building work )

Any idea when I should move them? Early autumn?

There is an obelisk lurking under the pink/blue btw. Might need a bugger one for 4 plants though?

BIGGER

I wouldn’t put them all in one pot. Some good advice here:www.cleevenursery.co.uk/blog/grow-clematis-containers/

Might need a bugger!! I've no idea about clematis as I'm new to them myself, but that made me laugh. ;-)

Thanks for the link to growing clematis in pot Knittedfaries . It’s very interesting and helpful.

Thanks for that link too, fairies.
(What I really need is someone clever to come round & do it for me )

If you are repotting try to use deep narrow pots. Cleamatis have Very long roots but don’t spread out much. I prune mine in February to leave about 1foot of growth. Feed them in late March with weak tomato feed or seaweed feed. Don’t over feed as you will get lots of growth but no flowers.. I find that if you give them A strong support they flower better. Without a trellis or wigwam they seem to put all their energy into
making tendrils rather than flowers.

One grower I know cuts the tendrils off and ties them in. I don’t know if it makes any difference.