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Clematis are extraordinarily beautiful lianas used in the design of the backyard area. There are many varieties of this plant. Clematis Bill Mackenzie is bred in New Zealand. It belongs to the species with medium flowers and leaves. Lovers of yellow flowers will appreciate this fragrant type of clematis.
Description of Clematis Bill Mackenzie
The variety was bred in 1968. Bill Mackenzie is a cross between Tangut Clematis and Orange Peel. This interspecific hybrid has won two awards and the hearts of amateur flower growers. Clematis belongs to the Tangutica group, a distinctive feature of which are very long vines (from 4 to 6 m).
In the description of clematis by Bill Mackenzie (shown in the photo), it is indicated that the variety forms long branches. The length of the shoots can reach 5 m, so the appropriate support should be chosen.
This type of clematis blooms with medium-sized flowers, the diameter of which can range from 6 to 8 cm. The yellow flowers of the plant have 4 sepals. Sepal length reaches 3.5-4 cm, and its width is two times less - no more than 2 cm. Filaments are reddish-brown, and anthers are colored beige. Initially, the flowers resemble bells, but after the sepals open, they acquire a flat shape. The flowering of the variety is long: from May-June until autumn.
The fruits of the Bill Mackenzie variety are nuts, collected in compound fruits. They, like flowers, look very decorative and adorn the bush in autumn.
The zone of frost resistance of the plant is 4-9, that is, the culture is sufficiently resistant to frost and is suitable for growing in the conditions of the Moscow region.
Conditions for growing clematis Bill Mackenzie
It is advisable to grow the Bill Mackenzie variety in an open to the sun, but calm area. The culture does not impose requirements on the soil, therefore it can grow on any soil. The plant feels best of all on loose, humus-rich, sandy loam and loamy soils, not waterlogged by groundwater. The acidity of the soil can be from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.
The plant is frost-resistant, but you cannot do without pruning and shelter. This will help keep the flower buds from freezing and the clematis will bloom profusely.
Planting and Caring for Clematis Bill Mackenzie
For planting, you need to prepare a hole. The average size of a planting pit is 60 cm in diameter and 55-70 cm in depth. The depth depends on the size of the root system of the seedling and the quality of the soil. If the groundwater is too close to the surface, the hole is dug deeper to fill a drainage layer (15-20 cm) to the bottom. To do this, use the materials at hand: broken brick, expanded clay, gravel, sand.
Prepare the soil for the seedling, for this they mix the soil from the pit with compost, humus and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1.
If the acidity of the soil is increased, then dolomite flour or slaked lime is additionally introduced into the planting pit.
It is best to use mineral formulations as fertilizer for the seedling.
Landing technology:
- The seedling is carefully removed from the package, the roots are straightened.
- The prepared nutrient mixture is poured into the planting hole with a mound.
- Clematis is installed vertically on the top of an earthen mound, burying it about 10-15 cm in the ground.
- The roots are evenly distributed over the ground.
- The planting hole is covered with soil, gently tamping it down with your hands.
- A clematis seedling is watered.
- To protect against overheating, the soil is covered with mulching material. It prevents rapid evaporation of moisture and prevents weeds from growing.
- Additional shade in the root circle can be created using flowering annuals and perennials with a shallow root system (marigolds, chamomile, petunias).
The best time to plant clematis is spring and autumn. If the seedling is purchased in the summer, it must have a closed root system. You can plant it using the same technology as indicated above.
If the acquired seedling has open roots and traces of drying are visible, then they are soaked in Epin's solution before planting. You can put the seedling in a bucket of cool water for several hours (at least 6 hours).
In the first year, the seedling is especially vulnerable, therefore it needs careful care. In order for the root system to form correctly, clematis is fertilized with mineral dressings three times per season. If a flower tries to release buds, they must be cut off so as not to burden the plant weakened by the transplant.
Proper care allows you to grow beautiful and healthy clematis bushes, which will delight the eye with their flowering every year.
Clematis Bill Mackenzie needs periodic watering. In hot weather, watering is carried out at least 2-3 times a week. At the same time, they moisturize not only the soil, but also the foliage. They do this in the evening hours after sunset so as not to burn the leaves. Insufficient watering is indicated by small flowers and their insufficient number. In this case, it is advisable to feed the plant and water it a little more often.
Top dressing is carried out in spring and summer, alternating between mineral and organic compounds. The procedure is carried out no more than twice a month. In the first year after planting clematis, Bill Mackenzie does not need to be fed, the seedling has enough fertilizers applied to the planting pit.
Preparing for winter
Preparation for winter consists in pruning and covering clematis bushes. The timing of shelter for the winter depends on the region, but it is advisable to carry out work in dry weather, before the onset of frost. A big problem with clematis is the danger of damping out. In the spring, it is necessary to open the seedlings immediately after the threat of frost has passed.
Bill Mackenzie Clematis Pruning Group - 3 (strong pruning). In order for the bushes to bloom magnificently in the summer, a strong pruning is necessary. Clematis are pruned at a level of 2-3 knots from the ground. In addition, damaged and diseased shoots are completely removed. Dead shoots can be cut off in the spring.
Reproduction
Clematis Bill Mackenzie is propagated in various ways:
- seeds;
- layering;
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush.
Seeds for planting must be fully ripe, so they are harvested no earlier than mid-September. The seed material of hybrids does not always give seedlings with parental characteristics, therefore, the methods of cuttings and layering are more often used. To divide the bush, you can use two methods: full or partial digging in the roots.
Diseases and pests
Violation of the rules of agricultural technology leads to the fact that Clematis Bill Mackenzie can get sick and even die from various diseases:
- wilting;
- gray rot;
- rust;
- powdery mildew.
High soil moisture, heavy rainfall lead to the spread of fungal infections. To combat wilting, a foundationol solution is used. 0.2% composition is watered 2-3 times the soil in the near-trunk circle. The drug helps to slow down the development of fungal diseases, but if the roots are severely damaged, the plant is dug out of the garden and destroyed.
Fungal diseases can be cured with copper-containing agents: Oxyhom, Bordeaux liquid. Foliage and shoots are treated with them.
Viral pathologies are very rare in clematis. Sucking pests contribute to the spread of yellow mosaic. There are no effective drugs for this pathology, therefore, at the first symptoms of the disease, the plant is dug up and destroyed.
The appearance of nematodes on clematis also leads to the death of the plant.If, when digging up decayed bushes, signs of infection of the plant with root gall nematode are revealed, it is not recommended to grow clematis in this place for several more years.
Conclusion
Clematis Bill Mackenzie is a common cultivar with yellow, fragrant buds. Liana blooms from June to September. Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, he rarely gets sick.
