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Although Clematis Beauty Bride was bred relatively recently, in 2011, it won the hearts of gardeners around the world - thanks to its strikingly beautiful flowers. It may seem that such a fragile, at first glance, plant is difficult to grow, but with a competent approach, even novice gardeners can do it.
Description of Clematis Beauty Bride
Beauty Bride translated from English means "beautiful bride", which fully justifies the poetic name of clematis. It has very large snow-white flowers with a diameter of 20 - 25 cm, which cover the bush from the base to the top, creating the illusion of a magnificent wedding dress. The largest flowers, however, grow near the very ground, where the branches are older. The conceived bush grows no higher than 1.5 m, but in some cases it can reach a height of 2 - 3 m.
The clematis flower of the Beautyful Bride variety itself has wide petals with wavy edges, which gradually taper towards the end, as you can see in the photo. The flowering of a plant can be divided into 2 stages:
- earlier;
- later.
Earlier flowering is transient and occurs at the end of May - beginning of June. At this time, flowers appear on last year's shoots and look larger.
Late flowering covers the period from mid-summer to late September. Flowers are formed on young shoots and are characterized by a slightly smaller size, but their number increases significantly.
Growing conditions for clematis Beauty Bride
Clematis Beauty Bride, despite its delicate appearance, is considered a rather unpretentious plant. It is not very sensitive to the composition of the soil and grows well both in the open field and in large planting containers. This variety is often used for vertical gardening of various fences, gazebos and garden supports located in a detached house.
To create optimal growing conditions for clematis of the Beautyful Bride variety, you should give preference to slightly shaded areas and make sure that the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight. In addition, the variety must be protected from drafts whenever possible. Otherwise, the process of growing this variety of clematis will not give a gardener a lot of trouble.
Planting and caring for hybrid clematis Beautyful Bride
Since clematis of the Beauty Bride variety is able to grow in one place for 20 - 25 years, you should carefully consider the choice of a planting site. So, the most favorable soil for this plant will be a mixture of fertile sandy loam and loose loamy soils. In this case, the acidity of the soil can vary from 6 to 7 pH.
Having decided on the location of the seat, you can start planting the plant:
- The size of the landing pit must be at least 60x60 cm.
- Clematis should be placed at a distance of 70 - 100 cm from other plants.
- Place gravel or other drainage at the bottom of the recess, and then sprinkle it with a layer of humus and compost.
- Upon completion of planting, the soil must be watered abundantly and loosened. It will not be superfluous to mulch it with peat or sawdust.
Caring for the Beauty Bride variety, as in the case of other clematis, is reduced to periodic watering, weeding from weeds and feeding.
Watering clematis is traditionally carried out as the earthen coma dries, paying attention to the moisture level of the soil around the plant. Beautyful Bride and similar varieties do not thrive well in very wet and very damp soils.
Plant feeding is carried out 2 to 3 times per season, alternating between organic and mineral fertilizers. The first feeding, as a rule, is organized in early spring, before the beginning of the growing season. The second feeding occurs during the budding period, before the first flowers appear. The third feeding is carried out optionally before re-flowering, so that the flowers are larger.
Clematis pruning requires a separate mention. Large-flowered Clematis Beauty Bride belongs to the plants of the second pruning group, due to the fact that the plant has two flowering periods. The first time the plant is pruned at the very beginning of summer. During the procedure, last year's shoots are removed from it. During the second pruning, which is carried out in the fall, already young branches are shortened. Cut them about 1/4 so that only wilted flowers are removed. This will allow the plant to recover faster after wintering and bloom more luxuriantly next year.
Preparing for winter
Clematis of the Beautyful Bride variety has moderate frost resistance and is quite capable of hibernating just under the snow, but in the climate of central Russia, you should still think about sheltering the plant.
The first step is to eliminate the risk of plant flooding during thaws. This problem can be prevented by pouring an additional 35 - 40 cm layer of soil under the bush, which will not allow excess water to reach the roots.
Lutrasil or other covering material is well suited for creating shelter. The shoots of clematis Beauty Bride are wrapped in it, laid on the needles and covered with fallen leaves or spruce branches. Slate pieces can be used as additional protection.
Reproduction
Reproduction of Clematis Beauty Bride can be done in various ways, which include:
- reproduction by layering;
- dividing the bush;
- reproduction by seeds;
- grafting.
The latter method is the most popular among gardeners, as it has the highest rooting rates.
Cuttings for the Beautyful Bride variety are harvested during the budding period, namely, in late May - early June. For this:
- The middle part of the shoot with two buds is cut out in the leaf axils so that a distance of 1 - 2 cm remains above the internode and 3 - 4 cm below it.
- For the soil, plant humus and sand are used in a 2: 1 ratio. It is often replaced with vermiculite.
- As a container for disembarkation, you can use plastic cups with a drainage hole. The stalk is immersed in abundantly watered soil so that the internode is half in the soil. Then they build a film greenhouse and provide the seedlings with watering 2 - 3 times a day.
- The first roots in cuttings appear after 30 - 45 days, after which they begin to be aired. Landing in the ground becomes possible after another 30 days.
Diseases and pests
Although Clematis Beauty Bride has a fairly high resistance to various diseases, from time to time it can still be affected by certain diseases and pests, including:
- powdery mildew;
- wilt;
- aphid.
When infected with powdery mildew, a characteristic white bloom appears on the flowers and leaves of the Beautyful Bride variety. Without timely treatment, plant tissues begin to darken and dry, which is why clematis subsequently dies. Therefore, it is advisable to treat powdery mildew at an early stage of the development of the disease.A diseased plant must be destroyed by burning, and healthy bushes must be sprayed with a 0.1% solution of foundationol or 0.4% soda ash.
Wilt is also a rather insidious disease, as it tends to infect plants that are at their peak of growth. In infected clematis, the ground part dries out completely in a short time. This is due to a special fungal organism that actively multiplies in the root system of the plant, completely blocking the flow of nutrients from the soil. To combat this disease, it is worth cutting off the remains of the plant to its base and burning it. The soil at the planting site should be treated with Fundazol, a solution of potassium permanganate or a mixture of copper sulfate with a soap solution.
As for aphids, Beautyful Bride is much more successful with this pest of clematis with the help of folk remedies. Onion-garlic infusion at the rate of 1/3 tbsp has shown its effectiveness against these insects. for 1 liter of water. Plants are processed at least 3 times with a break of 5 - 7 days.
Conclusion
Clematis Beauty Bride is an amazingly spectacular flower that is not whimsical. If you adhere to the recommendations for care, then the plant will be able to delight the gardener's eye for more than a dozen years.
