Adam, the type II clematis I have here in NC consistently get browned out leaves and also get leaves whose margins are browned out once the temps. start getting into the mid 80s. This happens regardless of how much watering I give them, but they seem to survive the winter and return the following year. In your zone, this phenomena might also happen although I think that your problem might also be related to the lack of watering you have given them. I would resume watering as needed now. The light green leaves are typically a sign of a magnesium deficiency and can often be remedied by watering the plant several times with a solution of epsom salts. I wouldn't however give the plant any high nitrogen fertilizer at this time of year since it will stimulate new growth and that is not what you want to happen now in your zone. Topdressing with compost or some similar slow release organic fertilze will aid in building up the soil tilth without the resultant problem of stimulating new growth. This is about all you can do this year to help your clematis survive the winter. Also give the plant a nice layer of mulch to help conserve water and insulate it through the winter.

Hi nck,

thanks for your response. I didn't realize that clematis didn't enjoy the heat. Yes, I have given them a good soaking today and will keep watering but I am hoping that soon we will get a lot of rain, because we are needing it badly for everything in the yard. I have dried brown leaves dropping off my maples. I have some epsom salts in the house. Should I water with that from now until frost? Or just the next three times I water it? Or should I wait until spring and start doing that then?

Thank you for the help. This is the only clematis I have and would like to keep it.

Adam

Adam, I would mix a tbsp. full of epsom salts and add it to a gallon of water and then use that to water your clematis. Do it and then wait a week or so and see what happens. If that doesn't solve the pale green leaf problem, I would repeat it maybe twice more with a week's time interval between applications. If it is a magnesium problem, that should solve it. If not, perhaps there is some other nutrient deficiency in your soil and a soil test would be called for. In the interim, you could always add compost or composted cow manure around the plant as mulch or even make compost tea and add it to your plant since those materials contain a lot of micronutrients that couldn't hurt and they won't stimulate a lot of new growth this late in the season. Good luck with your clematis!

Forgot to say earlier Adam that I can sympathize with you regarding the need for rain. It is so bad in my area that most people's yards are burnt to a crisp, unless of course they have been watering. The clematis this season have really suffered since about July--more brown leaves on clematis than I have ever seen and even on the type IIIs. The ground is so dry that even watering the clematis is almost useless since the areas surrounding the clematis are so dry that the water applied to the clematis planting areas is sucked away by the dry areas. Top that with the extremely low humidity and winds that we have had for about a week and the situation is critical. I am ready for this gardening season to end and can't wait for next year!