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So that clematis can develop their full bloom, it depends on the right care. We give you valuable tips on watering, cutting and fertilizing.

The clematis needs the right care for such a splendor of flowers

Clematis (Clematis) are considered perfect plants for greening a fence or house facade. Especially their lush and extremely beautiful flowers make the clematis a welcome guest in the garden. Although it is considered hardy and easy to care for, the clematis needs care to be able to present itself in all its glory. But how often do you have to water a clematis? And how do you properly fertilize a clematis? We answer these and other questions about caring for clematis in this article.

Water Clematis properly

Watering the clematis is generally quite uncomplicated, but is very often necessary for the thirsty climbing plants, especially in summer. The plants like a constantly moist soil environment - for this reason you should check regularly whether the clematis needs to be watered. Especially when cultivating in a bucket, it is better to use the watering can more often, as the evaporation rate is higher with this variant. Therefore, water your clematis as soon as the substrate has dried out even slightly on the surface. However, your clematis should never stand in water and you should also avoid wetting the tendrils with irrigation water so that rot does not occur. The clematis also needs water in winter: when it is dry on frost-free days, you can water the plant with confidence.

The clematis should be watered regularly

Summary of watering clematis correctly:

  • High water requirement - higher in the pot than in the bed
  • Keep constantly moist, but avoid waterlogging
  • Water as soon as the substrate has dried out slightly on the surface
  • In winter, water on frost-free days when it is dry

Tie up clematis with trellis

Most clematis species are true climbers and sometimes reach heights of ten meters or more. When caring for the clematis, it is therefore particularly important to provide a suitable climbing aid early enough. Choosing the optimal oneThe climbing aid always depends on the growth height of the respective clematis species: for low-growing clematis species such as alpine clematis (Clematis alpina), a trellis is ideal for the plant to hold on to. For taller species and varieties, you can use either a rope or a trellis net that reaches up several meters to fix it.

The selection of the optimal climbing aid always depends on the growth height of the respective clematis species

Fertilize Clematis

Clematis combine shoot growth and flowering in unimagined proportions. Their need for an adequate supply of nutrients is correspondingly extensive. Clematis should be fertilized especially during their growth phase from March to August. At this time, the climbing beauties need a lot of phosphate for flowering and potassium to strengthen the newly formed shoots for the winter. Ideally, you should use a fertilizer with a long-term effect for the clematis: This enables balanced, even fertilization during the growth phase. The following products are therefore particularly suitable as fertilizer for the clematis:

  • Mature compost or manure in combination with comfrey manure
  • Flower fertilizer with high potassium and phosphate content

Our Plantura organic flower fertilizer not only offers phosphate and extra potassium. It is also composed almost entirely of organic materials. This offers many advantages compared to mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are produced using fewer resources, are harmless to children and animals, do not wash out of the soil as quickly and support he althy soil life. In addition, there is the long-term effect of these fertilizers. While you have to reach for the fertilizer every two weeks with mineral fertilizers, organic long-term fertilizers are only applied two to three times a year. You can find out how and how often you apply the different types of fertilizer and how you should fertilize your clematis in our special article.

Summary of fertilizing clematis:

  • Maintenance fertilization from March to August
  • Slow-release fertilizer: Two to three times a year
  • Mineral fertilizers: every two weeks in the irrigation water
  • It is best to use predominantly organic fertilizers with lots of potassium and phosphate, such as our Plantura organic flower fertilizer

Pruning Clematis

An essential part of clematis care is regular trimming of the plant. An annual pruning ensures that the clematis grows wellbranched and he althy plant grows. The cutting time depends on the respective clematis species - however, the flowering time offers a rough guideline. Early flowering clematis and multi-flowering hybrids should be pruned in spring after flowering. Species that flower several times in particular benefit from this, as the cut supports the second flowering. In the case of summer-flowering species, scissors are used after flowering in early winter. The shoots are shortened to a good 20 to 30 centimeters above the ground. In this way, a particularly large number of new shoots sprout. Thinning out the clematis is always necessary when too little light can fall inside the plant. In the worst case, the clematis could otherwise bare inside. In order to keep the plant vital, a rejuvenation cut should also be carried out every four years to stimulate new shoot formation.

Caring for clematis also includes pruning

You can read more in our special article on the topic of “Pruning Clematis”.

Pruning Clematis Summary:

  • Pruning back to 20 to 30 cm annually
  • Prune early-flowering and multiple-flowering varieties after flowering in spring
  • Prune summer flowering varieties after flowering in early winter
  • Pruning is necessary if not enough light can fall inside
  • Rejuvenation pruning should be carried out about every four years or when plants are dead
  • Pruning after first flowering in multiflowering hybrids to encourage second flowering

Winter Clematis

When it comes to overwintering, you should definitely know what kind of clematis you have. There are completely hardy clematis - such as the alpine clematis - which are wonderfully suited for planting out in the bed, as they do not have to be overwintered separately. However, when planting, you should make sure to choose a location that is as sheltered as possible for the clematis. Clematis, which are not hardy, need winter quarters. It is best to plant them in a bucket - the Plantura organic potting soil, for example, is ideal for this. This makes it easier to overwinter the clematis. Around September/October, when the temperatures are slowly getting colder, the plant can move to its winter quarters. Proper care is also important when clematis overwinters: temperatures should always remain between 0 and 10 °C throughout the winter. Is watered only so that the root ballnot completely dried out. Evergreen clematis also need some light in winter. Otherwise the plants can stand in the dark.

Even outdoors, the clematis needs care in order to survive particularly hard frost periods. Simply cover the root area with a layer of brushwood over the winter, creating an insulating layer while minimizing evaporation. The hardy clematis should hibernate outside in a sheltered spot. With clematis in a pot, this is additionally wrapped with an air-permeable fleece or a reed mat and placed on a wooden base. Otherwise there is a risk of the pot freezing through, which can cause considerable damage to the clematis.

Alpine clematis is a fully hardy clematis

Overwintering clematis:

  • Not hardy clematis: Overwinter in pots in frost-free winter quarters
  • Hard-hard clematis in the bed: cover the root area with brushwood
  • Hardy clematis in a pot: choose a sheltered place, cover the root area with brushwood, cover with fleece or reed mat

Would you also like to have a clematis in your garden? You can find out how to do this in our special article on “Planting Clematis”.

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Garden Design