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Many flower lovers, when they first become acquainted with clematis, consider them too difficult and capricious to grow. But this is not always true. There are varieties that seem to be specially created for beginning flower growers. For example, clematis Polish Spirit, despite its rather advanced age, does not lose popularity. And all thanks to its amazing adaptability to almost any environmental conditions, as well as long and abundant flowering.
Description of clematis Polish Spirit
The name of this clematis variety already speaks of the pride of its creator in his creation. It is translated from English as "Polish spirit" or "Spirit of Poland". The variety was obtained back in 1984 by the famous Polish breeder Stefan Franczyk, and in 1990 it was presented to the public by Raymond Evison.The British Royal Horticultural Society awarded clematis Polish Spirit a high rating - its creator received a medal for services to horticulture. And indeed, from those times to the present day, this variety of clematis is best known for its unpretentiousness and abundance of long-term flowering. This variety is especially popular in Japan, the USA and European countries.
Clematis Polish Spirit is distinguished by its extraordinary energy of growth and flowering, this is clearly visible in the photo below:
The height of the vine can reach 3.5-4 m, and the width of the bush can grow up to 80-100 cm. Moreover, in favorable conditions, clematis of this variety can reach such sizes already in 2-3 years of development.
The variety belongs to the group of large-flowered clematis. The diameter of the flowers reaches 12-16 cm. The flowers are not double, wide open, with flat petals, slightly corrugated at the edges. Petals in the amount of 4 to 6 pieces are spaced from each other at a decent distance. The color is dark purple with a slight purple tint in the center of the petals. In descriptions of Polish Spirit clematis flowers from several reviews from gardeners, the petals sometimes contain lighter stripes. Apparently, this may depend on the composition of the soils on which the liana lives.
Pronounced stamens of a reddish hue with a white base give the flower additional showiness. The fruits that form after flowering are an achene up to 8 mm long, compressed on both sides.
Clematis Polish Spirit is usually classified as a member of the Viticella group, but recently in some gardening circles it has been classified rather as a group of Jacquemmans (that is, large-flowered, late-flowering varieties). But this opinion is not yet established and quite controversial, and most flower growers, out of habit, attribute it to the Viticella group.
The flowering period of this clematis variety is indeed quite late, but very long in time. The appearance of the first flowers is possible at the end of June, but then the waves of flowering continue one after another, without interruption until the middle or end of October. Moreover, the abundance and duration of flowering of the Polish Spirit variety is practically independent of weather conditions and is possible even in cloudy or rainy weather.
Despite the fact that, according to the description, the clematis variety Polish Spirit is well suited for growing in regions with cold winters, in the first years after planting in the northern regions, the root zone will still require shelter as in the photo.
In this form, it is able to withstand frosts down to -34 °C.
In addition, clematis is characterized by excellent resistance to a variety of diseases. Especially if you choose the right place for planting and follow all growing rules.
Clematis pruning group Polish Spirit
Clematis variety Polish Spirit forms flowers only on the shoots of the current season, which means it can safely be classified in the third group of pruning (strong).
Optimal growing conditions
Clematis Polish Spirit is one of the varieties that are unusually adapted to any of the most difficult climatic conditions. But, of course, it will feel best in summer temperatures that are not too hot, but definitely warm.It can tolerate short-term drought, but the most abundant flowering will be observed under conditions of constant and moderate moisture. Of course, like all representatives of his kind, Polish Spirit disapproves of drafts and strong winds. Therefore, it is usually planted under the protection of either some kind of building, or in a place where strong gusts of wind are rarely observed.
Since it does not have any special requirements for lighting, it will feel good near trees with a not very dense crown.
Planting and caring for clematis Polish Spirit
Despite the general undemanding nature of this variety, for its better survival rate and luxurious flowering, you should still remember the planting and care rules that are necessary for every clematis.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
In terms of lighting, only places on the northern side of various buildings are clearly not suitable for it. There may not be enough light for clematis. In any other place, Polish Spirit will feel great. When planting in the southern regions, it is better to take care of shading the bush during the hottest midday hours.
The most important thing that any clematis cannot tolerate is the constant stagnation of moisture in the root zone. Bushes of this variety should not be planted in lowlands or places where the groundwater level is quite high.
Clematis Polish Spirit will grow especially well in fertile, not too heavy loose soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. If the site has acidic or heavy soils, then the planting hole must be prepared in advance and filled with suitable soil.
Seedling preparation
The easiest way to plant is to use a well-developed two-year-old clematis seedling with a closed root system. However, rooted cuttings and small shoots are also quite viable for planting in the spring, but will require special attention in the first year of life. In general, in cold regions it is recommended to plant clematis in the spring, in April-May. Before planting, it should be kept in a cool room if possible, pinching out the shoots if they begin to develop intensively in the warmth.
In the south, where warm weather often lasts until the end of October-November, it is quite possible to plant clematis in the fall. It is only important to ensure that the plant has several well-developed vegetative buds. If the Polish Spirit seedling was purchased in the fall, and the soil has already frozen, then it is better to save it until spring. To do this, the roots are sprinkled with a moistened mixture of sand and sawdust and placed in a cold place, at a temperature of about + 5 ° C.
The day before planting, the clematis root system is in any case thoroughly moistened with warm water with the addition of growth stimulants.
Landing rules
The dimensions of the planting hole should be approximately 50x50x50 cm. This is especially important in the case of unsuitable land for planting clematis on the site. A drainage layer at the bottom of the planting hole is required. Its height should be at least 15-20 cm so that water never stagnate in the root zone. Crushed brick, crushed stone, and pebbles can be used as drainage.
The planting mixture is made up of:
- 2 parts of garden soil;
- 1 part humus or compost;
- 1 part sand;
- a small amount of wood ash and a handful of complex fertilizer.
The landing procedure is traditional:
- The bottom of the planting hole is covered 1/3 with the prepared mixture.
- The clematis roots are spread on top of it.
- Gradually cover them with soil, making sure that the root collar does not end up underground.
- The top root zone of the planted plant must be mulched with a mixture of coarse sand and dry grass.
- To protect young clematis from too bright sun, low annuals (calendula, marigolds) or perennials with small roots (irises, daisies) are planted in the area of the roots.
When planting several clematis bushes, it is advisable to leave a distance of at least 70-80 cm between them.
Watering and fertilizing
Despite the fact that clematis cannot tolerate stagnation of water in the roots, they need regular and fairly abundant watering. Under normal conditions, watering the plants once a week is enough. For young seedlings, approximately 10 liters of water are used; adult clematis will require much more - up to 3-4 buckets per bush.
In hot and dry summer conditions, clematis can be watered two or three times a week. It is necessary to ensure that there is always moisture in the soil, but the soil is not too wet.
In the first year after planting, young clematis plants do not need fertilizing if the necessary fertilizers were used when creating the nutrient mixture.
As for adult plants, they are watered for the first time with the addition of nitrogen fertilizers in the spring, when leaves and shoots bloom. Then, when forming buds, watering with the addition of potassium fertilizers is used. After flowering, phosphorus fertilizers are used.
Mulching and loosening
Loosening is a very useful procedure for saturating the upper layers of soil with oxygen, but with clematis there is a possibility of damage to the roots. Therefore, it is best to mulch the root zone with a good layer (at least 10 cm) of organic material, which is added under the bush every autumn. It is desirable that the mulch contain wood ash and coarse sand. They protect clematis roots from various rots.
Garter
Clematis Polish Spirit is a very powerful vine and for intensive growth it needs reliable and strong support. It is usually installed when planting a bush, so as not to disturb its roots later. When planting near a wall, you must leave a distance of 30 cm to it.
It is necessary to tie all the main shoots of young clematis to the support immediately after planting. Subsequently, its leaves and shoots easily cling to any auxiliary elements and wrap around fences, pillars, and gazebos, creating a real green flowering wall. For best branching, the top of the vine can be pinched at the beginning of growth.
When planting clematis Polish Spirit in a certain place, it is important to remember the dark purple tone of its flowers. It is advisable that the shade of the background on which it will grow be light, otherwise the overall picture will turn out to be too bleak.
Trimming
Clematis Polish Spirit belongs to the third pruning group. This means that it produces flowers only on young shoots of the current season. Old branches will not bloom anyway. For this reason, they can be easily removed in the fall to ensure a trouble-free winter for the vine.Thus, a few weeks before the onset of persistent frost, clematis of the Polish Spirit variety are cut off completely close to ground level, leaving only a few buds for development in the next season. It is from these that the active growth of young shoots will begin in the spring.
When growing the Polish Spirit variety in relatively warm regions, you can try leaving 1-2 shoots for the winter, having previously shortened them. In this case, you can expect earlier flowering on them.
Preparing for winter
The winter hardiness of clematis Polish Spirit is determined, first of all, by its strong pruning. But the root zone in areas with severe frosts must be well insulated, protecting the bushes from damping out.
At the first frost, the bases of the bushes are covered with an additional layer of mulch. After pruning, all that remains of the clematis is covered with dry leaves and covered with a wooden box on top. You can cover the top with another small layer of spruce branches so that the cover is not blown away by a strong wind.
Reproduction
The easiest way to propagate the Polish Spirit variety is by layering or by dividing the bush. The seed propagation method is very labor-intensive and is used only in breeding work.
To divide the bushes, choose plants that have reached the age of 5 years. The bushes are carefully dug up in the spring, and the rhizome is divided into several pieces with several buds. Each division is planted in its own separate place.
In spring, you can also tilt young clematis shoots with several internodes to the ground and lightly cover them with soil. In autumn, rooted shoots are separated from the mother plant and planted separately.
Diseases and pests
Diseases usually affect clematis plants weakened by improper care.The most common disease affecting clematis is wilt. Characterized by sudden wilting of leaves and stems. The plant can be difficult to save; the soil must be disinfected with a solution of foundationazole.
Diseases such as rust (brown coating on the leaves) and powdery mildew (white coating) are treated by spraying with Bordeaux mixture and other fungicides. Damaged leaves are picked and burned.
Among the pests, a distinction is made between underground inhabitants that damage clematis roots (mole crickets, moles, mice, nematodes) and above-ground pests (snails, slugs, aphids). To combat them, specialized toxic substances and baits are used.
Conclusion
Clematis Polish Spirit will be a real gift for a beginning gardener who wants to decorate his plot with an attractive and abundantly flowering vine.
