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sweet autumn clematis on obelisk, additional fishing line?

16 years ago

I have 4 sweet autumn clematis in pots around my patio, recently planted. My husband is building me some custom obelisks to go in the pots, the obelisks will be 6' tall at completion. Have a look at it, let me know, do I need additional fishing line for the clematis to climb or will it make it's way up on the supports of the obelisk. Don't worry, it's very strong, can probably support a couple hundred pounds. We're in zone 5 so I hope this works, have a 2 year warranty on the plants from the nursery. I want it to reach the top and cascade over. Should I cut it back every year or leave it? ANyways, here's the pic.

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Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
16 years ago
Hmmmm......I see a couple of things wrong with your plan. First, I don't think your pots are anywhere near large enough to support a SAC longterm. You may even have difficulty getting them to overwinter, as the entire soil mass (and therefore the roots) could rather easily freeze. Second, should the SAC's overwinter OK and even with the stunted root run allowed for the pots, they will easily overwhelm a 6' obelisk. Granted mine is very well established in the ground and in a milder zone, but its annual growth is nothing short of startling - it covers a 8'x6' wrought iron trellis, grows 15' down one length of fence and another 20' or so across a large shrub and into a tree in the opposite direction. And this is with a hard pruning each spring. Even in the very restricted growing environment those small containers provide, the SAC should achieve 8-10 feet.

I'm not sure what to suggest to you, other than to do some additional research. And I doubt you have to worry about additional guidance for these vines - they'll clamber up those obelisks quite readily. Personally I could see 4 SAC's planted at the corners of a large wooden pergola covering your patio and fully covering it each season. But I doubt that was the plan you had in mind :-)
nckvilledudes
16 years ago
I agree wholeheartedly with what gardengal says. The SAC will eat your obelisks in very short order. I also question their ability to survive the winter in pots in your zone. They might surprise you but they will out grow the pots and the obelisks in no time if they survive the winter.
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Greetings All, WOW, going out to Donahue's was a GREAT experience!! Plus, Faribault is such a pretty town.... I'd forgotten Henry Fields was out there and had a store where you could buy plants and bareroot plants (while their reputation is suspect for catalogue sales--I have heard that if you buy directly from their store they are fine. I'm on a limited budget right now so just getting a few Clematis was enough of a 'plant splurge' for me now...maybe another time I check out Henry Fields. The help at Donahue's was fantastic--they said they didn't have any Clematis out on the floor (as opposed to what they offer catalogue-wise) that won't do well in Minnesota without having to go to extreme measures. They even helped me chose some that would be easy/hardy for my area and that would be pretty much in bloom for most of the summer. I got: Gypsy Queen Bees Jubilee Kilian Donahue Victor Hugo Mme. Edouard Andre It was hard to choose...I easily could have walked out of there with at least a dozen (or more) different types but thought I'd start with these, get them settled, and then if I feel confident (and have the money) take another jaunt up there later on.. A friend of mine that lives outside of Chicago is sending me three Sweet Autumn Clematis, she started these the year before last for me but since I was in the hospital last year, she held off sending them to me. I hope they do well, she says she thinks they are the northern equivalent of kudzu (we're both originally from the south-though my grandparents on both sides immigrated to Minnesota from the old countries) so I hope they do well for me. The one thing that was a surprise for me about Clematis was the tip from Donahue's about planting them...they were showing how when you plant your clematis, you actually plant it deeper than it is in the pot and COVER by about 1 to 1 1/2 inches the base/crown of the plant with soil. I had read about the 'cool feet' aspect of mulching and planting around it to keep the base cool/shady, but never actually planting it deeper. Am I the only one that didn't know/hadn't heard this? I'm going to try to get them planted today before the rain hits.... ~Michele
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Zone 6 is pushing it for clematis armandii. It used to get severe wind burn in the winter in my zone 7a garden in NC. I agree that SAC is just too rampant and spreads like a weed, seeding itself everywhere in my garden. One way to prevent the seeding is to chop the vine back severely after the plant's blooms have faded or take a hedge clipper to it to remove the developing seeds. Good luck trying to contain its growth. How do you plan to have it attach itself to the underside of the supports?
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buyorsell888
16 years ago
That obelisk is beautiful but SAC far too large a grower for it as already advised. They could completely cover your entire fence.
emmgus
16 years ago
i planted one last fall and it has already grown up to the top of a 15 foot trellis and is flopping over at the top, in one season. frankly, i'm a little scared of it! it seems like your pots and supports might be better suited to a smaller type, and then there's the freezing issue. even in my zone (6) container plants are unlikely to survive the winter, and you seem like you are further north.

what about planting a type of annual vine? there are lots of choices and then you wouldn't have to worry all winter when the temps drop.

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