Content
Anyone who sees a blooming wall of clematis for the first time will not be able to remain indifferent to these flowers. Despite some finicky care, there are varieties of clematis, the cultivation of which will not bring any difficulties even to a beginner, and the abundance of flowers will shock anyone's imagination. This is exactly what Clematis Comtess De Busho belongs to, a description of the variety of which with numerous photos and reviews of gardeners you can find in this article.
Description
Comtesse de Bouchaud quite deservedly belongs to the masterpieces of the world collection of clematis and has more than a century of history, since it was bred by the French breeder Francis Morel at the end of the 9th century. In due time this variety of clematis received the award of the Royal Garden Society "for merit in the garden." It was very popular a hundred years ago, and got its name in honor of the Countess de Bouchot, who had a beautiful garden in Chaslet, Rhone district in southeastern France.
Liana has great vigor of growth, in height it can reach 3-4 meters. Although in most regions of Russia, Clematis Comtesse De Busho demonstrates more modest indicators - about 2-3 meters.
Leaves are dense, complex shape, consist of five ovate-pointed leaves. The buds, like the flowers, face upward. Flowers are formed on long peduncles (up to 18 cm) and, when opened, do not differ in gigantic size (about 10-15 cm in diameter). But they are formed in huge quantities, and in terms of the duration and abundance of the flowering period, Comtesse De Busho still has no equal, at least in its color group.
The flower is not double, it consists of 6 elliptical sepals with a slight taper and slightly wavy edges. The color of the petals is pink with a violet hue, traditional for clematis. The petals are slightly corrugated, with a more intense purple shade of veins stand out on them. The anthers are creamy and the stamens are bright yellow. Can set single seeds, which still does not make sense to use for reproduction. Flowers do not tend to fade.
The flowering of clematis Cometess De Busho occurs in the traditional timeframe from July to September. According to some gardeners, it can begin even in June and last for almost the entire summer period.
One of the unique advantages of the Comtesse De Busho variety of clematis is the fact that it starts flowering almost from the ground itself (at a height of 25-30 cm) and spreads along the entire length of the shoots up to 2.5-3 meters. Already in the second year of planting, under favorable conditions, you can observe this amazing sight. And every year the bush will only grow and increase in size, primarily in width. After all, the lifespan of this clematis is about 20 years.
Landing
Planting any clematis, even one as unpretentious as Comtesse De Busho, should be taken seriously, since he lives for a long time and it is better not to make mistakes from the very beginning than to correct them later.
Choosing a place and time for boarding
In order for clematis Comtesse De Busho to grow well and bloom profusely for planting it, you must choose a place with the following parameters:
- An abundance of sun is desirable for flowering, in extreme cases, there may be a slight partial shade for half a day.
- Protected from drafts and constant winds.
- With a low level of groundwater, otherwise it is necessary to build an artificial embankment with a height of at least 15 cm.
- There should be at least 50 cm from the wall or fence, and water should not drain from the roof during rains.
Clematis seedlings can be planted in a permanent place both in late spring and early autumn. In the spring, he has more time to get used to a new place and prepare for winter, but it is necessary to act very carefully when planting so as not to damage fragile young shoots. In autumn, planting clematis is easier, but it is necessary to plant the bushes no later than a month or two before the onset of stable frosts, so that they have time to take root.
If a clematis seedling is purchased with a closed root system, then it can be planted even in summer, but only under the condition of shading and regular watering within a month after planting.
Selection of seedlings
The following requirements are imposed on the appearance of clematis seedlings with open roots:
- No mechanical damage or traces of any disease.
- A shoot, about 5 cm long, must have at least two unblown buds.
- The total length of the roots should be about 50 cm, and the number of roots should be at least five.
Soil requirements
Clematis of the Comtesse De Bouchot variety prefers to grow in breathable, light, but well fertilized soil. He will not like acidic soils at all; it will be necessary to add lime or at least wood ash. On heavy soils, sand and humus or compost must be added.
How is landing
A few weeks before planting clematis, it is best to pre-dig a hole with dimensions in length, width and depth of about 60 cm.The planting mixture is prepared from equal parts of humus and garden soil with the addition of 3-4 kg of sand, 400 g of dolomite flour and 150 g of superphosphate. At the bottom of the pit, a small mound is formed from the planting mixture, the roots of the seedling are spread on it and carefully covered with the remaining soil mixture.
Support must be installed before planting. After planting, clematis must be tied to supports for the first time. Later, he himself will be able to cling to them with the bases of the leaves.
Care
The most important procedures for caring for Comtesse De Busho clematis are watering, feeding and pruning.
Watering
Clematis very much respect watering, because the lack of moisture makes the flowers smaller and the flowering time is greatly reduced. On average, in hot weather, it is necessary to water the bushes at least 2-3 times a week, preferably with irrigation of the foliage. But this should be done only after sunset.
Top dressing
If you applied the correct amount of organic matter and mineral fertilizers when planting clematis, then in the first year after planting it may not be fed at all. But from the second year, abundant flowering can be achieved only by alternating organic and mineral fertilizing 1-2 times a month during the entire warm season. Top dressing (especially nitrogen) can be stopped only by the end of summer.
Mulching
Watering can be somewhat reduced if the root zone of clematis is carefully mulched with a thick layer of organic material. In addition, the roots of clematis, unlike the plants themselves, do not tolerate the sun and heat, so shading with mulch will also have a positive effect on the viability of plants as a whole.
Pruning
During summer and autumn, dry, wilted or damaged shoots should be removed from clematis.But in the fall, Clematis Comtess De Busho is cut completely at a level of about 20-30 cm from the soil level, so that from two to four buds remain on each shoot.
Shelter for the winter
The timing of pruning and sheltering clematis for the winter coincides with those that are usually determined for roses. After pruning, the entire root zone is completely covered with humus or peat, covered with a wooden or plastic container, box. From above, they still fall asleep with dry leaves or sawdust and cover everything together with a non-woven material, fixing it well so that the wind does not carry it away.
In the spring, it is important to choose the right timing in order to remove the shelter in time and the clematis Comtesse De Busho did not suffer from damping, which is more dangerous for him than frost. It is best to do this gradually over several weeks, removing all artificial shelters first, and then slightly freeing the bush of mulch.
Disease and pest control
Of the diseases, the most dangerous for clematis is wilt or wilting.
But it appears mainly when the landing rules are not followed and in the wrong place. For prevention, it is recommended to sprinkle the roots of clematis with a mixture of wood ash and sand, fix the plants well on supports and spray several times with Fitosporin.
Reproduction
The seed method of reproduction of clematis can be used only for species natural forms, since the rest do not retain the properties of the mother plant.
Vegetative reproduction includes:
- Dividing the bush - it is best to divide clematis bushes from 5 to 7 years old. In spring or autumn, just dig in and separate part of the bush.
- Layers - fully matured shoots are placed in grooves to a depth of 8-10 cm and covered with earth, leaving the tip of the shoot on the surface of 20-25 cm. The next season, the new plant is separated.
- Cuttings - the easiest way to get a large number of new plants In 3-4-year-old clematis bushes, before flowering, cut 6 cm cuttings with two or three buds from the middle of the bush. After processing the cut with Kornevin, plant it in a mixture of sand and peat and moisturize constantly.
- Vaccination of clematis - used by professionals only.
Application in landscape design
Due to its beauty and unpretentiousness, Clematis Comtesse De Busho can be used in any vertical gardening: arches, gazebos, fences, fences, walls of buildings, as well as decorating old trees.
Testimonials
Gardeners have long appreciated the Comtesse De Busho variety of clematis and the reviews about it are always excellent.
Conclusion
In terms of the abundance and duration of flowering, the Comtesse De Busho variety seems to have no equal, at least among the pink shades of clematis.And at the same time, the variety is distinguished by its relative unpretentiousness to growing conditions and resistance to diseases.
