I believe in mixing compost into the soil. There are some people saying that isn't a good idea, but that is one thing I will never change.

What are the growing conditions for your Niobe? Do you have heavy clay soil? Is it too wet, too dry, dry and sunny? A lot of root competition? It could be one of those things or none of them.

You could try moving it to a different location. If you do, plant it a few inches deeper than the original soil line.

I was having trouble with an area until I put in a Jackmanii, so at least I know it wasn't an impossible location, which was a concern, I just needed the right plant for the spot. The thing is growing like it's on steriods, so I'm thinking about cutting it back half way.

Some plants are just perennial wilters for some people Shelley. Generally repositioning the plant does not solve the problem since more and more people think that wilt is a vascular system issue in clematis which is more prevalent in the large flowering hybrids. I suggest you allow the plant to continue on where it is and it most probably will outgrow the condition eventually. Giving it compost as a top dressing over the growing season can't hurt either.
As far as I know, there is no cure for clematis wilt.

I thought it was just the opposite - that more and more people think growing conditions is the main cause of most wilting.

If it is true clematis wilt, inside of the stem at the base of the wilted stem will have a gooey black substance, right? That is what I read recently. I wish I could remember where I read it.

That is the first I have read about gooey black stuff. Sounds interesting. Perhaps you can find the website in your history, if you don't delete things regularly.

Marie in ME

I have never heard of clematis wilt being characterized by black slimey ooze. I think you are referring to slime flux which is an entirely different issue. Clematis wilt is characterized by the stems turning black and those sections of the plant dieing back.

The vascular system of the plant is that part that most closely resembles the circulatory system in humans. When a plant grows too fast, either due to cultural or fertilization issues, the plant's vascular system can't keep up with the plant's requirements for its "Blood" to be in all places at once. This could be due to the plant's inability to take up moisture from the soil fast enough (inadequate/immature root system) or due to the vascular system not being extensive or mature enough to supply all the water needs for the plant's outer most stems. It is thought that the plant wilts in order to allow the plant's root system to develop so that after the plant does begin regrowing that the plant can supply all parts of its stems with moisture and nutrients.

This is all just scientific conjecture of course since there is still too much confusion out there as to the cause, if indeed there is just one cause, of clematis wilt.

Not fertilizing it in the early spring may help. Your soil may be plenty fertile already.

I have had multiple type II's outgrow wilting. I do believe it is a vascular system problem and not a fungus or disease.

Are the stems touching something thorny, like a rose, barberry, or thorny tall berry stems?

A few days ago I noticed that the tallest stems of my Hagley Hybrid were drooping. Ah ha, give it water. But we just had 4 days of rain.

Still drooping today, but the shorter stems which were not touching the rose stems were fine. So I took off the twisties I had fastened the clem to the rose stem, and shoved a 4 ft trellis between them, I remembered that someone on another forum had a wilt-like problem with one of her clems that was brushing against her barberry in the wind.

Other people talk about growing roses with clems, but I guess it was pretty dumb to tie them together. I may lose the droopy stems, but at least it won't suffer further injury, I hope. I'll have to be carefull in the places where a blackberry seed left by a bird has turned into Many tall blackberries taking over more & more of my flower beds.
In some ways I would like to get rid of them, but it is nice to have free fresh fruit when the berries ripen. Will have to trim back the parts that dare to get near my clem vines as I do with the branches heading toward the paths,

Marie in ME

My Hagley Hybrid has wilted when it wasn't dry every year. HH does not seem to be a very vigorous Clematis. I moved it into a shadier spot last fall and so far, no wilt this year.

It was not near anything thorny. Nor do I think that would have any effect. I have Clems intertwined with roses that don't ever wilt. It is very windy here at times and they must get pierced.

I also have an Integrifolia, Juuli climbing over and through a Barberry. Never a problem.

Violet Elizabeth, Hania, Ville de Lyon, and Asao also have wilted every year. I already shovel pruned Asao. Hania hasn't done it this year so far but Violet Elizabeth has. I do believe it is going to be shovel pruned too.

Weird BorS, my Hagley hybrid is a pretty robust plant fighting it out with Victoria and Star of India. It has never wilted but the flowers bleach out very easily in our sun.

Here is HH this year (sorry for the glare but the sun was shining when the picture was taken). She always starts up before Victoria and Star of India.
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Here the combo was in 2004.
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Here the combo is last year-HH was past her prime when the other two were in theirs.
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HH bleached badly here too. I'm hoping it will do better in the shadier spot I moved it to.

I is not as big as yours and it is over five years old.

I love thE coil of wire around the post. Neat idea!

Janet, it is copper refrigeration tubing you can purchase at any Lowes!

Miguel, you are the master of finding innovative ways to support clematis! I had to really look to even see the tubing. Well done.

Carol

It is very well done. They can easily grip it and spiral up the post. More attractive than chicken wire of livestock fencing too.

Thank you for sharing Miguel!

Thanks all. Hopefully with the price of copper no one will decide they need to steal it from the arbor!