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Moving clematis plants from ground to pots

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Hello all! I have a few clematis planted last summer (bought as 1 gallon pots) and are about to break dormancy any time now....I see huge buds every where.

I would like to take these out of the ground and plant them in 3-4 gallon pots for my patio. Is now a good time to do so? I tried digging into my soil the other day and found that the ground is no longer frozen....completely thawed! Also, should I wash all of the garden soil off the root ball before planting them in new potting soil?

Thank you so kindly!

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Comments (2)

purslanegarden
9 years ago
Are you moving them to pots permanently? I just ask since I wonder what will you do in the fall when it's getting cold again? That could help decide if they would be moved to pots or not.

However, besides thinking of that future scenrio, you can move them to pots now. But just be aware that digging at it will usually cause accidental breakage of some stems, so just know you may not get it as intact as you hope.

As for the root ball, you can remove excess dirt, even long root hairs but you don't need to wash out all of the soil.
starlight99 thanked purslanegarden
starlight99
Original Author
9 years ago
I would like to try them in pots until next spring....when I will have a more suitable spot for them.

I was thinking of bringing them inside my garage during the winter months.

I have hydrangeas in pots that I bring inside my garage during the winter....so far only 1 out of 3 hydrangea pots have survived. I may have watered them too much.

How will this affect the clematis in pots? Will their winter care be different then the hydrangeas?

Sorry, I'm a novice....just started gardening 3 years ago.

Thank you for your replies.
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You should have no problems planting your tuberose in the ground now. This is a tough plant and in your zone should do very well. I have them in the ground here for more than 10 years. I try and remember to dig some every year and break up the root mass which becomes solid up to a foot in diameter. I replant some and pot up many for plant sales. To bloom they need regular water and fertilizer during the growing season. Al
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I agree with Janet and as she well knows I have beating this drum for several years now. The old adage of heads in the sun and feet in the shade is an old wives tale. Moisture is what is required and that typically occurs when the roots are shaded since it slows down the evaporation of the water in the soil and the consistent moisture is the critical element, along with appropriate fertilization. For what it is worth, I have potted up countless numbers of clematis into one gallon sized pots and left them in the sun where they get morning sun thru midafternoon sun and they have been fine. One definite advantage of sinking the pots in the ground is that you won't have to water the pots as much since the soil will act as an insulator to the desication of moisture from the potting mix. Just make sure that the surrounding soil drains well or your pots could hold too much moisture and cause root rot.
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I did put some groundcovers on the outer ridge of some tubs that had a clem in the inner pot. Seemed to work out ok. But I am concerned that the roots of a groundcover, even if shallow, might impede new shoots from coming up, unless it is separated from the clem roots. This is a problem for me, as most of the aboveground stems & foliage dies back to nubs when our Winters are harsh & windy. Especially on young plants, which most of mine are. I don't know if the vinca in the pot with Star of India did cause any problems, but altho it has a few roots that have not rotted, nothing has come to the surface, even tho I moved it out & repotted it. I think low annuals would be a better choice for me. Marie in ME
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I personally wouldn't worry about losing some of the roots since their removal will stimulate more root production. Some people advocate breaking up the root ball on clematis when planting in the ground. I typically only do it to plants whose roots are rootbound but can't see what the difference would be in your case.
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