Will my clematis Montana be ok- bloody dog dug up where I’d just planted it!

[T3nessee]

And I found a little bit of the root system in the soil.

Most people have a problem getting rid of it, it's a thug!

What about the rest of the plant though, where is that?

if all you have is a "bit of root system" versus the whole plant just uprooted, that's two different things altogether.

if the plant is uprooted then you can just replant it and put some protective chicken wire around it to stop the dog digging it up again.

if all you have is a bit of root, then you'll have to go to the garden centre and buy a new Montana, because life's too short to have to wait a year or two to see if it grows.

Most people have a problem getting rid of it, it's a thug!

Clematis do not like root disturbance, I can tell you that much. They're fussy little devils, even Montana. Once they get going there's no stopping them but they do need time to establish.

Whole plant is planted with roots. I found a piece of the system in the pile of earth the dog had dug up. I think she liked the smell of the bonemeal I’d put in the hole.😡

If the plant is still intact in the ground with roots, that's shouldn't be a problem, add more soil around the roots, 'heel it in' to get a good seal on the roots, rewater and add protection to stop doggie from doing the same.

If the plant roots are significantly exposed, I would carefully dig it up again, redig the hole and re-seat the plant, rewater the hole then add plenty of soil, heal in and distract doggie with snacks 😀

I’d suggest never planting with bonemeal. I used to put it under bulbs, but almost immediately they were dug up by squirrels and foxes. It must be irresistible to dogs!