Content
For vertical gardening, there is nothing better than clematis. The huge, delicate flowers of the Miss Bateman hybrid are an eye-catcher 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 enjoys continued popularity. The reason becomes clear if you look at the photo of clematis and read its description.
Clematis variety Miss Bateman belongs to the Patens group (spreading clematis - C. patens) and is characterized by remontant flowering. The first wave occurs in June, when the shoots of the previous year bloom, the second - in July-August. At this time, flowers bloom on the shoots of the current year.
The characteristics of flowering also dictate the way the plant is formed. The pruning group for the Miss Bateman variety is 2. This clematis is a woody species.Over time, its shoots acquire the structure of wood and become rigid.
The height of the plant is 2.5 m. Like other clematis, it requires support to grow. The plant clings to the net, curling its leaves. They are of medium size and have a trifoliate 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 this decorative effect with proper care and planting.
Landing
Clematis is a long-liver; it can grow in one place for almost 25 years. Therefore, choosing a habitat that meets all the requirements of the plant is a very important point. If planted incorrectly, clematis may not bloom for a long time and may not grow shoots.
Choosing a place and time for landing
First of all, let's figure out what is detrimental to clematis.
He does not like:
- high groundwater levels - you will have to do very powerful drainage;
- planting in lowlands - water and cold air stagnate there;
- strong winds - you will need protection 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 delay planting in the spring - the growing season of clematis begins early. Be sure to take into account the soil temperature. It must warm up well in the root zone, otherwise the plant will take a long time to take root and grow slowly.
Selection of seedlings
Usually, grown two-year-old seedlings and one-year-old clematis grown from rooted cuttings go on sale. The criteria for selecting seedlings of the Miss Bateman variety with open and closed root systems are different. For container seedlings, pay attention to the number and strength of shoots. When purchasing a clematis seedling of the Miss Bateman variety with an open root system, they look at the condition of the roots - they must be healthy and elastic, their number must 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 decorative effect, 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 to plant
Planting clematis variety Miss Bateman has its own characteristics:
- the planting pit should have dimensions of 0.6x0.6x0.6 m;
- a drainage layer is poured about 15 cm high; gravel, crushed stone or brick fragments can be used as drainage;
- Before planting, install a support;
- the soil for filling the hole is prepared from a mixture of humus, sand and non-acidic peat in equal parts with the addition of a liter jar of ash and 100 g of complete mineral fertilizer;
- fill half of the hole with the prepared mixture so that a mound is formed;
- a plant is placed on its top and the roots are straightened, pointing them down;
- fill up the rest of the soil, leaving a bowl-shaped depression 8 to 12 cm high around the shoots;
- pour a bucket of water into the hole;
- mulch the soil around the plant using non-acidic peat.
During the summer, the left depression is gradually filled with fertile soil.
If you are going to plant several plants, the distance between them should not be less than 1.5 m.
Care
Clematis variety Miss Bateman cannot be called a capricious plant, but without proper care, decorativeness cannot be achieved.
Top dressing
In the first year after planting, clematis of the Miss Bateman variety usually does not need feeding; the main nutrition is added to the planting hole. Starting next year, plants are fertilized with mullein, which is diluted 10 times with water or with full mineral fertilizer. It will require 20 g per 10 liters of water, the number of fertilizing is from 3 to 5. It is better to alternate mineral and organic fertilizing. Some gardeners 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 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 feeders and do not tolerate drying out of the soil even in the top layer. Experienced gardeners plant low annuals at their base, 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. Enough water is poured under the bush to completely wet the root layer about 50 cm deep. The water should not be cold. Use from 1 to 2 buckets at a time depending on the composition of the soil.
Trimming
Since the first wave of flowering in clematis variety Miss Bateman occurs at the beginning of summer and occurs on last year's shoots, you should not prune them heavily in the fall. It is enough to shorten the shoots to a height of 1 to 1.5 m. Experienced gardeners practice a universal pruning method. It is suitable for well-developed clematis bushes. With this pruning method, the weakest shoots are cut into stumps, and only the tops of the rest are shortened. The number of both should be the same.
Shelter for the winter
As soon as the night frosts set in, it’s time to prepare Miss Bateman’s clematis for shelter. It is carried out in several stages.
- Cover the base of the bush with compost, garden soil or humus. It is not advisable to take it near the bush, so as not to expose the roots.
- 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, cover the plants completely, choosing a dry and clear day.
- Place spruce branches, dry leaves or brushwood under the stems.
- The shoots are twisted into a ring, wrapped in spunbond and placed on a substrate.
- The shoots are covered with dry leaves or insulated with a layer of spruce branches.
- You need to put a sheet of slate or roofing felt on top.
In winter, covered clematis need to be covered with additional snow.
Disease and pest control
The main diseases of clematis are fungal. These are powdery mildew, rust, gray mold and wilt. To prevent them, you need to avoid thickening the plantings, combat excess air humidity, and remove them in a timely manner. weeds. They fight clematis diseases with fungicides, most often containing copper. A solution of Fundazol is used against wilt.
Sometimes clematis are bothered by beet aphids, nematodes and spider mites. Aphids are controlled with insecticides, and spider mites are expelled with acaricides. It is impossible to fight the nematode. Clematis bushes will have to be dug up and burned. To protect them from defeat, marigolds or marigolds are planted nearby. Snails and slugs are collected by hand.
Reproduction
Only species forms of clematis are propagated by seeds. In varieties or hybrids, seedlings do not repeat the parental characteristics. Therefore, clematis variety Miss Bateman can be multiply only vegetatively:
- cuttings;
- divide the bush;
- layering.
The easiest way to propagate clematis is by cuttings. They are cut off 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 clematis cuttings in cups, preferably transparent ones. You can also root them in soil sprinkled 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, dig a groove about 7 cm deep next to the plant, lay the shoot, secure it with hooks and cover it with earth. In the fall, a new rooted plant will grow from each internode.
Propagating clematis by dividing the bush is a rather labor-intensive task. The easiest way is to divide a young bush. To do this, it is dug up and divided into several parts, each of which must contain at least one shoot and a bunch of roots. In old bushes, they simply cut out some of the roots and stems with a shovel and divide them.
Application in landscape design
Clematis can be used in many landscape compositions as a vertical feature. It can weave not only a gazebo or arch, but also a fence, a tall stump, a single tree or bush. This plant will help decorate any unsightly structure. Miss Bateman clematis pairs best with brightly blooming roses. It looks good next to other flowering shrubs: spirea, lilac, mock orange.
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Conclusion
Clematis are beautiful creatures of nature. Plant them correctly, take good care of them, and excellent flowering is guaranteed. Inexperienced gardeners are better off starting with reliable and unpretentious varieties such as Miss Bateman.
