Why Does Clematis Not Bloom? What If The Plant Only Produces Foliage? The Reasons For The Lack Of Flowering In The Second And Third Years After Planting

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 13:15

Clematis are perennial vines from the buttercup family. These are very popular plants in landscape design. Their lush and abundant bloom invariably attracts the eye and adorns any home plot. However, it sometimes happens that flowering is weak or completely absent. In the article we will talk about the reasons for this phenomenon and dwell in more detail on how to get your favorite flower to give buds and prolong its flowering.

When does it bloom?

The flowering of clematis directly depends on the age of the plants. As a rule, after planting for 2 years, the bush builds up the root system, and only when it becomes powerful and well-developed does it bloom in full force. This usually happens after 3 years, and if the plant throws out the peduncle earlier, it is advisable to remove it so that the clematis can create a strong and beautiful base. Usually, growers try to plant different varieties of clematis on their site, since the appearance of flowers in them can begin at different times during the growing season , from spring to autumn, creating a riot of colors in the garden.

Varieties bloom in May-June Saw, Barbara Jacqueman, and Miss Bateman.

In the middle of summer, varieties delight with their flowering Biz Jubilee and Roger Cardinal … At the very end of summer, clematis buds appear " White Hot" and "Multi Blue " … Some varieties are distinguished by a long flowering period, for example, from June to September, a variety of clematis decorates the site " Ballerina", "Nelly Morez" and "Madame le Cultre ".

Causes

There are many reasons why clematis do not bloom, giving only foliage. This may be due to varietal characteristics, the correct planting, the choice of a place for growing, as well as the quality of care, the introduction of fertilizing and many other factors. Let's dwell on the most common reasons.

For starters, chances are high that you bought an already diseased seedling . If you purchase clematis in a nursery or on the market, and do not get them yourself from seeds, then you need to carefully examine the leaves - they should be strong, without any signs of damage. Be sure to collect information about a specific variety of clematis, since each is suitable for certain growing conditions and types of soil.

Clematis are quite unpretentious plants, nevertheless, the site for planting them should be chosen with great care. Ideally, the place should be well lit or slightly darkened. Clematis do not react well to drafts and high humidity, so it is advisable to plant them on a slope or a small hill.

Much depends on the structure of the soil - if the soil does not like the clematis, then it will not bloom . The soil should be fertilized, to achieve its fertility and looseness. It is important that it is light, water permeable and has a slightly alkaline reaction.

Correct pruning of clematis plays a decisive role in lush flowering. You need to know that representatives of this type of plants are divided into 3 categories:

• flowering of which occurs on the branches of the last season;
• which bloom on both last year's and new shoots;
• blooming only on young shoots.

If you do not prune, then on the plants of the second type the number of flowers will be extremely small, and on clematis of the third pruning group they will not appear at all.

How to stimulate flowering?

It so happens that even with high-quality care, clematis still does not bloom, the reason for this is the slow growth of the plant. In this case, the vine must be helped - for this, in the summer, the flower is sprayed with solutions of stimulants. " Epin" and "Zircon" are highly effective, they have an anti-stress effect on the plant . After processing, clematis easily tolerates external weather conditions, begins to quickly gain strength and bloom.

Experienced gardeners use ammonia as a stimulant. For processing plants 3-4 tbsp. l. ammonia solution is diluted in a bucket of water and clematis is watered, always on wet soil. After 2 weeks, foliar feeding is carried out, in this case the concentration of the drug is reduced - only 1 tbsp is taken per bucket of water. l. ammonia . The resulting composition is sprayed with clematis branches in the evening or morning, preferably in calm weather. Thanks to such feeding, the increased growth of shoots and the budding of the plant begins.

Some experts have developed their own clematis pruning technique that allows them to achieve almost continuous flowering - it is suitable for a wide variety of varieties. To begin with, choose 3-4 shoots and cut them at a distance of 1 m from the ground . The next 3-4 shoots are cut off already half a meter, and the latter are shortened already at the level of two buds. All remaining shoots are cut off completely.

Then the lashes are laid on the ground, sprinkled with dry grass and left in this form for the winter. With the onset of spring, the shelter must be removed and the branches carefully tied to the supports.

The trick here is that the pruning is not carried out in the same way, which means that this clematis will bloom unevenly. Moreover, such a clematis will give flowers not at one point, but along the entire length of the bush.

When the first vines bloom, you need to cut them at the level of 3 buds from the ground . By the way, the resulting cuttings are quite suitable for further rooting and reproduction. The remaining lashes will continue to bloom, and the cut ones grow actively and bloom again by the end of August. Using such stimulating pruning will allow you to get an almost continuous flowering bush, of course, only if you take good care of your pet.

Basic rules of care

Clematis is a summer vine that has lived in one place for several decades. Like all other living things, the plant ages over the years, therefore its flowers become smaller, their number and duration of flowering are reduced. With the aging of the bush, you should fight with regular feeding, and if they are not enough, you will have to find a new place for it.

However, even young clematis may not bloom if they lack nutrients, so every gardener should definitely feed his vines, starting from the second year after planting. In the spring, at the very beginning of the growing season, clematis needs nitrogen fertilizers. They stimulate the growth of young shoots and the growth of green mass. Such a plant develops well and stores strength for subsequent flowering.

During the period of bud formation, clematis will need a complex fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium.

Thanks to these trace elements, the plant produces large, vibrant flowers and maintains a long flowering time. And after its completion, the bushes can be fed with organic matter, which will allow the plant to prepare for the winter cold.

You need to water clematis about once every 10-14 days, but if the summer is hot and dry, then the amount of irrigation can be increased . The volume of water should be such as to moisten the soil with a layer of 0.5-0.7 m - this is about 3-4 buckets per adult plant. Keep in mind that you need to pour water not into the very center of the bush, but into an annular groove at a distance of 30-40 cm from it.

Alternatively, you can dig 3 wide plastic pipes near the clematis so that they are located obliquely towards the clematis itself. You can water through them. To keep moisture in the substrate as long as possible, the soil should be mulched, usually a dry leaf, straw or sawdust is used for this . Peat can be used as an additional source of nutrients - it is regularly scattered on the ground around the bush.

Garden pests are also a common reason why clematis do not bloom . You need to deal with them immediately after infection, otherwise you will not wait for flowers, and you can lose the plant. To get rid of nematodes, nematicides are introduced into the soil a month before planting clematis. When bedbugs, worms or aphids appear, the bush should be sprayed with a solution of tobacco dust or insecticides.

Slugs and snails are collected by hand followed by treatment with copper sulfate. When rodents appear, bait traps should be set.

Clematis often encounters fungal diseases:

• yellow mosaic;
• rust;
• gray rot;
• alternaria;
• fusarium;
• verticillary wilting.

In order to avoid infection, the soil around the seedling should be mulched abundantly with a mixture of ash and sand, taken in equal amounts. If the bush is already sick, treatment with fungicidal preparations will be needed. The general well-being of clematis and, as a result, its flowering is influenced by the peculiarities of wintering. Even before the onset of cold weather, clematis must be cut off and certainly cover the lashes with agrofibre or burlap.

In addition, the root collar also needs shelter - as soon as the first frosts hit, the soil near the bush should be immediately sprinkled with peat or compost. As a result, you should have a cone-shaped slide with a diameter of 50-60 cm. In winter, it will protect the roots from freezing, and in the spring it will divert melt water from the stem . Everything that we mentioned directly affects the quality and duration of clematis flowering, since improper care most often becomes the reason why the plant does not bloom. Having eliminated the problems, you can safely count on the abundant flowering of this decorative liana.

Beautiful examples in the garden landscape

Beautifully flowering clematis are in great demand in gardening. They are used to decorate fences, gazebos and other buildings. Clematos are very popular for decorating flower beds and creating stylish landscape compositions . These vines are distinguished by thin long stems, so all parts of the plant are used in the garden decor. Abundant flowering of the culture occurs from June to September, while clematis has the property of clinging to any supports that come across in its path.

With a competent organization of growth, this plant easily conquers a height of 2, 5-3 meters, and some varieties even grow up to 7-8 meters.

In vertical gardening, clematis is popular for arranging terraces, arches and walls . Each plant lives for 30-40 years, so such clematis become constant companions of the beautiful exterior of your garden plot.

By correctly directing the shoots and regularly pruning, you can create the most real masterpieces that will delight the gardener for many years.