Content
For vertical gardening, there is nothing better than clematis. The huge delicate flowers of the Miss Bateman hybrid are eye-catching in any garden.
Description
Among the 18 varieties of clematis that English breeder Charles Noble bred in the 19th century, Miss Bateman is one of the most beautiful. It is named after the daughter of the famous orchid grower James Bateman. Created in 1871, this long-lived variety is still found in gardens and is always popular. The reason becomes clear if you look at the photo of clematis and read its description.
Clematis of the Miss Bateman variety belongs to the Patens group (spreading clematis - C. patens) and is distinguished by remontant flowering. The first wave occurs in June, when the plant's shoots bloom last year, the second - in July-August. At this time, flowers bloom on the shoots of the current year.
The peculiarities of flowering dictate the method of plant formation. The pruning group of the Miss Bateman variety - 2. This clematis belongs to the woody species. Over time, its shoots acquire a wood structure and become tough.
Plant height - 2.5 m. Like other clematis, it needs support for growth. The plant clings to it, twisting its leaves. They are of medium size and triple structure. Miss Bateman's flowers are large - up to 15 cm in diameter. Each flower is formed by 8 snow-white petals with a noticeable greenish stripe in the center. The purple anthers contrast with the snow-white petals and make the flower even more attractive.
The plant achieves such decorative effect with proper care and planting.
Landing
Clematis is a long-liver, it can grow in one place for almost 25 years. Therefore, the choice of habitat in compliance with all plant requirements is a very important point. With an incorrect planting, clematis may not bloom for a long time and not overgrow with shoots.
Choosing a place and time for boarding
First of all, let's figure out what is destructive for clematis.
He does not like:
- high standing groundwater - very powerful drainage will have to be done;
- planting in the lowlands - water and cold air stagnate there;
- strong winds - protection will be required from them;
- planting directly under the roof - plants cannot tolerate excessive moisture.
Ideally, fertile loam is best.
Choose a sunny place for clematis. It must be protected from strong winds.
For plants with a closed root system, planting time does not play a special role - this is the entire growing season. If the root system of the Miss Bateman variety is open, you cannot hesitate with planting in the spring - the vegetation of clematis begins early. Be sure to take into account the temperature of the soil. It should warm up well in the root zone, otherwise the plant will take root for a long time and grow slowly.
Selection of seedlings
Usually, grown two-year-old seedlings and grown from rooted one-year-old clematis cuttings go on sale. The criteria for the approach to the selection of Miss Bateman seedlings with open and closed root systems are different. In container seedlings, attention is paid to the number and strength of the shoots. When buying a Miss Bateman clematis seedling with an open root system, they look at the condition of the roots - they must be healthy and resilient, their number should be at least 3 and the presence of dormant buds.
You can watch the video on how to choose the right seedlings:
Soil requirements
In order for clematis of the Miss Bateman variety to please with its decorativeness, it must be planted in soil that meets all its requirements:
- fertile and high in humus;
- well structured;
- breathable;
- with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
When planting, drainage must be provided.
How is landing
Planting clematis of the Miss Bateman variety has its own characteristics:
- the landing pit should have dimensions - 0.6x0.6x0.6 m;
- the drainage layer is poured about 15 cm high; gravel, crushed stone or fragments of brick can be used as drainage;
- a support is installed before landing;
- the soil for filling the pit is prepared from a mixture of humus, sand and non-sour peat in equal parts with the addition of a liter can of ash and 100 g of complete mineral fertilizer;
- fill half of the pit with the prepared mixture so that a mound forms;
- a plant is placed on its top and the roots are straightened, directing them down;
- cover the rest of the earth, leaving a bowl-shaped depression around the shoots from 8 to 12 cm high;
- pour a bucket of water into the hole;
- mulch the soil around the plant using non-acidic peat.
During the summer, the left recess is gradually filled with fertile soil.
If several plants are going to be planted, the distance between them should not be less than 1.5 m.
Care
Clematis of the Miss Bateman variety cannot be called a capricious plant, but without proper care, decorativeness cannot be achieved.
Top dressing
In the first year after planting, Miss Bateman clematis usually does not need feeding, the main food is brought into the planting pit. Starting next year, the plants are fertilized with mullein, which is diluted with water 10 times or with full mineral fertilizer. It will require 20 g per 10 liters of water, the amount of dressings is from 3 to 5. It is better to alternate mineral and organic dressings. Some growers feed clematis 2 times a month.
Loosening and mulching
The easiest way is to mulch the soil around the clematis shoots, then loosening and weeding operations will not be required. A mixture of decomposed peat and half-rotted horse manure is best suited for mulching. If these components cannot be found, non-acidic peat, crushed tree bark, wood chips, and even straw will do. The main thing is that the roots do not suffer from overheating. Clematis are large water lovers and do not tolerate drying out of the soil even in the upper layer. Experienced flower growers plant low annuals at their foot, which shade the soil and prevent it from drying out. In this case, regular weeding and loosening will be required after each watering.
Watering
In dry weather, Miss Bateman's clematis should be watered weekly. Water is poured under the bush so that the root layer about 50 cm deep is completely soaked. The water should not be cold. At a time, they consume from 1 to 2 buckets, depending on the composition of the soil.
Pruning
Since the first wave of flowering for Clematis of the Miss Bateman variety occurs at the beginning of summer and takes place on the shoots of last year, therefore, they should not be cut off too much in the fall. It is enough to shorten the shoots to a height of 1 to 1.5 m.Experienced growers practice a versatile pruning method. It is suitable for well-developed clematis bushes. With this method of pruning, the weakest shoots are cut on a stump, while for the rest, only the top is shortened. The number of both should be the same.
Shelter for the winter
As soon as the night frosts set in, Miss Bateman's clematis is time to prepare for shelter. It is carried out in several stages.
- Cover the base of the bush with compost, garden soil or humus. It is undesirable to take it next to the bush so that the roots do not become exposed.
- Spray the soil around the bushes with a fungicide solution and add ash.
- As soon as the ground freezes slightly and the temperature drops to -6 degrees, the plants are finally covered, choosing a dry and clear day.
- Spruce branches, dry leaves or brushwood are placed under the stems.
- Twist the shoots into a ring, wrap them in a spunbond and lay them on a substrate.
- Shoots are covered with dry leaves or insulated with a layer of spruce branches.
- On top you need to put a sheet of slate or roofing felt.
In winter, snow should be added to covered clematis.
Disease and pest control
The main diseases of clematis are fungal. These are powdery mildew, rust, gray rot and wilt. For their prevention, it is necessary not to thicken the planting, to deal with excessive air humidity, to remove it in time weeds... They fight clematis diseases with the help of fungicides, most often copper-containing. Fundazole solution is used against wilt.
Sometimes clematis are annoyed by beet aphids, nematodes and spider mites. Aphids are fought with insecticides, and spider mites are expelled with acaricides. It is impossible to fight a nematode. Clematis bushes will have to be dug up and burned. To protect them from defeat, marigolds or marigolds are planted next to them. Snails and slugs are harvested by hand.
Reproduction
Only species of clematis are propagated by seeds. In varieties or hybrids, seedlings do not repeat the parental traits. Therefore, clematis of the Miss Bateman variety can be multiply only vegetatively:
- cuttings;
- divide the bush;
- layering.
It is easiest to propagate clematis by cuttings. They are cut when buds appear on the plant. By this time, the shoots should ripen - become elastic, but not woody.
The middle part of the shoot is suitable for cuttings. Each cutting should have one internode and two axillary buds. You can root cuttings of clematis in cups, better than transparent ones. You can also root them in the ground covered with a layer of sand. In both cases, you will need a mini greenhouse.
More information about rooting clematis cuttings can be seen in the video:
It is very convenient to propagate clematis by layering. This method is the most reliable. To do this, next to the plant, dig a groove about 7 cm deep, lay the shoot, fix it with hooks and cover it with earth. In the fall, a new rooted plant will grow from each internode.
Reproduction of clematis by dividing the bush is a rather laborious task. The easiest way is to divide a young bush. To do this, dug it out, and divide it into several parts, each of which must have at least one shoot and a bunch of roots. In old bushes, they simply cut down a part of the roots with stems with a shovel and divide them.
Application in landscape design
Clematis can be used in many landscape compositions as a vertical detail. He can braid not only a gazebo or an arch, but also a fence, a high stump, a single tree or bush. This plant will help decorate any unsightly structure. Best of all, Miss Bateman clematis is combined with brightly blooming roses.It looks good next to other flowering shrubs: spirea, lilac, mock orange.
Testimonials
Conclusion
Clematis are beautiful creatures of nature. Plant them correctly, take good care of them, and you will be assured of excellent flowering. Inexperienced growers are better off starting with reliable and unpretentious varieties such as Miss Bateman.
