Question:
I planted a Clematis last summer. It did well going along a south-facing fence, but I don't know what to do with it now. It's a mass of brown leaves and tangled-up tendrils. Should we cut it down short and try to remove as many of those crunchy leaves and hope for the best next spring?Answer:
- Clematis is pruned in March, so I'd wait and do nothing right now.
- Clematis is pruned based on its blooming habit. They are varieties or types that bloom on the new growth, old-growth, and some on both. So, being a nameless variety is a problem. I'm going to assume it was in bloom when you planted it.
- Summer flowering varieties bloom on the new growth produced in the spring. This group is the easiest to prune. I'd just cut the vegetation down to the ground and let the new growth generate from the plant base.
- The spring-blooming varieties are pruned after the flowers are spent because they're blooming on last year or the old wood. The spent flowers are removed, and you trim the growth back to twenty-four inches. The balance of the growing season is spent generating new growth that will bloom the following year. If you prune too early, you effectively remove the flowering buds and have no flowers.
- Those varieties that bloom on both the new and old wood should be given moderate trimming or shaping. So you don't lose any promising buds for the summer flowering season. All dead wood should be removed regardless of variety, and an annual feeding with a balanced fertilizer is recommended to encourage new growth once the rainy season has concluded. it would be best to shade the roots from the hot afternoon sun by mulching. A three-inch layer of organic matter will help retain moisture and insulate the roots.
- There is another issue that you need to keep in mind when pruning. A community fence is a poor structure for growing vines as it's impossible to keep the vegetation confined to your side. So annual pruning is a safeguarded method of keeping the plant under control and avoiding a neighbor dispute.
Question:
I'm looking to add some additional privacy along the back of our property this spring. I'm thinking about planting redwoods alongside some existing cypress and pines. Is this the best answer for this dilemma?Answer:
- Coast Redwoods would NOT be a good answer to this problem. Redwoods don't have the exact watering requirement as do pines, junipers, cedars, and others.
- After the rainy season concludes, redwoods are not drought tolerant. They require frequent watering during the summer months, much like a rose bush. On the other hand, pines, and cypresses, like dry conditions, usually survive nicely without much water all summer long. When planted together, one or the other would suffer. My suggestion would be to plant more of the existing species already established in this area.