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Clematis is one of the popular plants that many gardeners prefer to grow. It has earned popularity due to its long-term growth, unpretentiousness and abundant flowering. The flowers of this plant are very interesting and beautiful, with an unusual color. What is especially interesting is that this garden plant has many varieties that differ significantly from each other. A good representative of it is clematis Change of Heart.
Description of clematis Change of Heart
Clematis Change of Heart is a Polish variety characterized by rather long and rich flowering. It was bred in Poland in 2004 by breeder Szczepan Marchinski. It got its name Change of Heart in 2014, which translated means “change in the heart.” It was put on sale in 2016.
The plant is climbing, reaching 1.7-2 m. A garter is not required, since the vine itself wraps around the supports.
It blooms for a long period: from May to July on new shoots and last year’s shoots, often the variety blooms again. A simple shaped flower with 6 sepals. Average size - about 10-13 cm.It differs from others due to its interesting color, which during the flowering period changes from purple-red to light pink. The flowers are purplish-red when they appear, reddish-pink at the peak of flowering, and lighten in color as they finish. The sepals also have a light pink, slightly bluish edge and a light, almost white stripe at the base in the middle. In the core of the flower there are stamens with yellow anthers on green threads and yellow columns.
Flowering is abundant from the base to the very end of the vine. The leaves are simple, heart-shaped, trifoliate, solid green with a glossy surface. Young leaves are oval with a pointed point.
According to reviews from most gardeners, as well as from photos and descriptions, clematis Change of Heart blooms very beautifully. Its flowers are amazing, constantly changing, making the clearing in the garden very beautiful.
Clematis pruning group Change of Hart
For clematis Change of Hart, group 3 pruning is required, which involves severe pruning of the plant to shoots no more than 50 cm high above the ground and with the presence of 2-3 pairs of buds. Due to this action, clematis gains strength faster, which leads to abundant flowering.
Clematis Change of Hart group 3 pruning does not require special care; it is only enough to prune it correctly in early spring or autumn. It is important to leave no more than 3 shoots, otherwise the flowers will be smaller.
Planting and caring for hybrid clematis Change of Hart
Planting Change of Hart clematis can be done in the following ways:
- seeds;
- seedlings.
The most common planting method is still the seedling method with purchased planting material (seedlings), since this method is less labor-intensive.
More experienced gardeners successfully use the seed method. But since the Change of Heart clematis variety is a hybrid, the process is more labor-intensive and not all seeds can germinate. You should only use store-bought seeds.
Be sure to carry out seed stratification. This process helps seeds germinate faster and promotes uniform emergence. It is performed in early spring and lasts from 1 to 3 months depending on the size of the seeds. The larger the seeds, the longer the stratification process.
Stratification is performed in the following way:
- Prepare a container for planting with soil (peat, sand, soil at a ratio of 1:1:1).
- Sow seeds to a depth: 2 cm - large and 1 cm - medium.
- The container is placed in a place with a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees, maintained for the required period, and then transplanted.
After the seeds germinate, when several leaves appear, the seedlings need to be picked. The picking is done immediately into a separate pot. After completing this procedure, subsequent care of the seedlings is reduced to watering and shallow loosening. Planting seedlings in open ground depends on the planting method:
- Kivistik method – seeds are sown in a container, then sprinkled with sand and covered with plastic wrap. Afterwards, the container is sent to a room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. Seedlings grown using this method are planted at the end of August.
- Sharonova method – in September, sow the seeds in a plastic container, cover with polyethylene and send to a warm place. When several leaves appear, sprouted seeds are transplanted into separate containers.Seedlings are planted in July at a distance of 1 cm from each other.
- Sheveleva method – involves sowing seeds by stratification, after which the seeds are transplanted in the spring. And when seedlings appear, they are transplanted into open ground. Seed germination with this method is the highest.
A place for transplanting into open ground should be chosen that is less sunny and windy, since Change of Hart clematis does not tolerate draft winds and scorching sun. The soil should be nutritious and light. Seedlings should be planted at a distance of at least 20 cm between them.
Preparing for winter
Preparing clematis Change of Heart for winter begins with pruning.
As a rule, pruning should be done at the end of October or in the first ten days of November, depending on the region. This procedure must be carried out in dry weather. Clematis of the Change of Heart variety should be trimmed only from old shoots to a height of 30 cm.
Also in late spring it is necessary to treat the soil under the cut plant with an antifungal solution (0.2% Fundazol solution). It is also recommended to mulch the soil around with a mixture of sand and ash (10:1).
In addition, this plant requires wrapping to make it easier to survive the winter.
Reproduction
To propagate clematis Change of Heart, you can use 2 methods:
- cuttings;
- layering.
This garden plant can be propagated by cuttings only after it reaches 3 years of age. The most suitable cuttings are those that appear woody in appearance.The optimal time for cuttings is the last month of spring or the beginning of summer. The shoots are trimmed; under no circumstances should they have buds, but they must have at least one node. Afterwards, the shoots are divided into cuttings, which are planted in sand and peat soil and placed in greenhouse conditions.
Reproduction by layering is a longer method that involves two methods at once:
- The bush is fertilized and hilled until the 3rd leaf appears. Then the shoot is brought to the soil, where it must take root within 2 years. As soon as the roots have strengthened, it is separated from the main bush, the top part is cut off and replanted in a permanent place.
- The horizontal shoot of the plant is buried in the ground in early spring and throughout the summer. In this case, the end of the shoot is left above the ground at least 20 cm. The shoots must be pinched.
There is also a propagation method by dividing the bush, but it is only suitable for plants over 5 years old.
Diseases and pests
A fungal disease called blackleg poses a particular danger to Change of Heart clematis. This disease mainly affects seedlings. The fungus is found in the soil, so it must be disinfected before planting this plant.
Conclusion
Clematis Change of Heart is a garden plant, unpretentious and quite beautiful. With proper planting and pruning, a luxurious clearing of flowers changing color is guaranteed.
