Content
Among clematis, late-flowering varieties are valued, which decorate the garden for a long time. "Princess Diana" is a strong and very beautiful flower.
This is the most famous representative of the Texas group for gardeners. To grow “Princess Diana” on your plot, be sure to familiarize yourself with the nuances of planting and caring for clematis.
Description
Clematis variety "Princess Diana" was bred in 1984 by British breeders, as can be easily guessed by the name of the plant. It is distinguished by ease of care, unpretentiousness, long flowering and extraordinary beauty.
The pride of clematis is its flowers.
For their sake, gardeners are constantly growing new things to enrich the area with unexpected colors. 'Princess Diana' has bright pink flowers with yellow stamens in varying shades, from cream to deep rich yellow. The diameter of one vine flower is 5-7 cm, the shape is funnel-shaped in the form of tulips pointing upward. Each flower consists of 4 petals with pointed tips.The flowers look original and unusual, so gardeners are happy to use the “Princess Diana” variety to decorate gazebos, terraces, fences, and pergolas.
In addition, clematis flowers exude a light, delicate aroma that very gently saturates the air.
A very interesting feature of the clematis variety is that in autumn and winter it is decorated with decorative fruits.
Liana "Princess Diana" stands well on supports and grows well.
The height of the bush is 1.0 m - 1.5 m. The plant is compact and versatile. It is completely undemanding in terms of soil composition. Often grown in containers.
The flowering period is from June to September; all summer long, the areas display a riot of color from the original luxurious clematis flowers.
"Princess Diana" prefers a place protected from the wind, with good lighting and moisture permeability for planting. For “Princess Diana” you need to provide enough sunlight - at least 6 hours a day.
The variety of vines “Princess” is a perennial plant. Therefore, in addition to the usual care measures, it is necessary to maintain regular pruning and cover the bushes for the winter. After proper pruning of the vine, the number of shoots increases annually.
Gardeners like this variety of clematis because it is easy to prune.
Landing
For any plant, planting is a very important event. Liana "Princess Diana" is no exception. The intensity and duration of flowering of the variety depends on the conditions in which clematis is placed.
Choosing a place and time for landing
It is best to plant clematis of the Princess Diana variety in the place that is most suitable for this variety.The liana needs a sunny place, where there are no gusts of wind and stagnant moisture. I really like the variety “Princess Diana” on the southern, southwestern and southeastern sides of the site. Especially if the sun illuminates the area for at least 6 hours a day. At noon, the flower should be in partial shade so that the leaves do not get burned.
It is advisable to plant the clematis variety on a small mound, natural or formed independently. This will protect the vine roots from exposure to groundwater.
Clematis "Princess Diana" is planted in warm regions in the fall (October), spring planting is suitable for areas with a cool climate. The landing algorithm in both cases is identical, but there are some differences:
Autumn | Spring |
At the time of planting the vine, fill the hole to the level of the ground surface | Fill the hole to the top gradually, over several days. |
Mulch the planting site and cover | Shade the root system of the vine by planting ground cover without further loosening |
Selection of seedlings
There are two options for purchasing clematis seedlings.
- Cuttings with dormant buds. They are sold in bags with peat or polyethylene with an earthen lump. Such semi-finished seedlings are stored in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. After the cuttings of the Diana vine begin to grow, the clematis is transplanted into a container and left in a cool, well-lit place (for example, a windowsill). Choose a container that can then be easily cut when transplanting clematis into the ground.
- Sapling with shoots and leaves. Caution is needed here. You can safely buy such material if there are 1-2 weeks left before planting. It should also be stored in a cool place. It is better not to take such clematis seedlings if transportation is planned.Liana "Princess Diana" quickly stretches and breaks during transportation.
Soil requirements
The soil for the vine needs fertile soil with good drainage. The structure is loamy and slightly alkaline. Of course, it is not easy to find ideal conditions, but it is quite possible to correct existing ones. To improve the nutritional value of the soil, you need to add superphosphate (150 g), dolomite flour (400 g), 2 buckets of a mixture of humus, compost and garden soil.
How to plant
General requirements for planting clematis “Princess Diana”:
- Dig a hole 60 x 60 x 70 cm. There should be no fence or wall nearby. The minimum distance from the vine to the fence is at least 30 cm.
- Lay a drainage layer 20 cm thick (crushed stone, broken brick).
- Pour a layer of soil (10 cm).
- Fill in fertile soil.
Be sure to prepare a support for the Princess Diana vine with a height of at least 1.5-2 m.
At first, the flower needs shading so that the root system can take root.
More information about planting vines:
Care
To grow beautiful clematis "Princess Diana" you will need not too complicated care. The plant needs to be provided with a classic set of activities so that it pleases the gardener with its flowering.
Top dressing
In the first year, you should not overuse clematis “Princess” fertilizers. The plant is still weak; an overdose of nutrients will lead to rotting of the roots. From the second year onwards for “Princess Diana” the following scheme is followed:
- spring - nitrogen fertilizers and watering with lime milk;
- budding phase – potassium compounds;
- after flowering - phosphorus;
- after summer pruning - complex complete mineral fertilizer.
During the rainy season, it is necessary to sprinkle the trunk of the vine near the ground with ash.
Loosening and mulching
Mulching for “Princess Diana” partially replaces the plant’s need for watering and loosening. As a mulching material, it is good to take humus or rotted manure and sprinkle it with a layer of peat on top. After watering and rain, moisture will be better retained in the soil, and humus will provide additional nutrition to the vine. Also, mulching clematis helps to structure the soil due to the proliferation of worms in it. In winter, mulch acts as a shelter for the vine's root system from freezing.
When there is no mulching, the gardener will have to loosen the near-trunk area of the vine every other day and weed weeds.
Watering
"Princess Diana", like all clematis, loves moisture. With insufficient watering, the flowers become smaller, the leaves wither and fall off. The frequency of watering clematis varies depending on weather conditions and the age of the flower. Young vines are watered once a week. In dry and sunny weather, it is necessary to increase the frequency to once every 5 days.
The watering needs of the Princess vine are determined by the condition of the soil at a depth of 20 cm. Dry soil is an indicator for abundant irrigation of clematis. To ensure that moisture penetrates deeper, it is recommended to dig flower pots around the clematis, which are filled with water when watering. This technique improves the quality of watering, which makes clematis bloom longer and more abundantly. After watering, the soil is loosened if there is no mulch layer.
Trimming
"Princess" belongs to the third pruning group. This is a convenient group for gardeners.The shoots are pruned several times during the growing season. In the fall, everything is cut back almost to ground level, leaving 10-15 cm. In the spring, there are more shoots, and the “Princess Diana” bush is more magnificent. If you leave strong shoots unpruned, the woody vines will bloom 20 days earlier than the pruned ones.
Shelter for the winter
Preparations for covering clematis begin as soon as night frosts begin. First, they hill up the base of the bush with a layer of 10-15 cm. Garden soil, humus or compost will do. Then be sure to spray the ground around the bush with a solution of any fungicide and sprinkle it with wood ash. Metal buckets are not used for shelter.
Disease and pest control
Clematis of this variety is resistant to powdery mildew, but is not able to resist wilting.
The onset of the disease occurs in the root system, so compliance with the watering schedule is an important condition for prevention. It is recommended to remove the affected areas in May; this must be done together with part of the soil. If the disease is mild, then it is necessary to carry out root watering with Fundazol. Preventive treatment of vines against powdery mildew and gray mold is done with Azocene.
Spraying with copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture helps prevent rust from appearing on clematis.
The end of summer is the time of possible damage to clematis by ascotychosis, necrosis and cylindrosporiosis. Treatment of the vine is mandatory; in this case, a solution of copper sulfate is used.
Among the pests for clematis “Princess Diana”, nematodes are dangerous. They damage the root system of the vine and lead to the death of the flower. To prevent the appearance of nematodes, you need to properly prepare the soil when planting and not violate the watering schedule.
Reproduction
There are several ways in which you can propagate a luxurious variety:
- Dividing the bush. The root system of the bush is divided using a knife or pruning shears. After planting, cut the shoots to two buds.
- Rooting cuttings. The simplest and most reliable. The timing is early spring, when the plant is tied to the supports. A high-quality vine shoot is placed in a groove 7 cm deep and pressed to the ground. It is not sprinkled right away; you need to wait until the shoots grow to a length of 10 cm. The top of the vine layer is left without soil. During the growth period, new shoots are pinched. Young vines are separated from the mother bush the following spring.
- By cuttings. The best time is the budding phase, which occurs at the end of May or beginning of June. One internode and two well-developed buds are left on the clematis cuttings. The length of the stem under the node is 4 cm, above it – 2 cm. Root the material in plastic cups or directly in the ground, having prepared a nutrient mixture. Be sure to provide the “Princess Diana” vines with greenhouse conditions.
Application in landscape design
Clematis variety "Princess Diana" is used on the site for decorating gazebos, terraces, and pergolas. But besides for beauty, the vine is also used for practical purposes. It will perfectly disguise an unsightly wall or part of an outbuilding, an old fence or an unfinished fence. A very interesting solution is to use a vine as a ground cover plant.
If this is not done, the flower will disrupt the drainage system or prevent sunlight from entering the room.
Reviews
Conclusion
“Princess Diana” is a clematis variety that is suitable for growing even by novice gardeners. If you perform the care items regularly, then during the summer it will delight you with its flowering. With the help of a vine you can create an unusual composition, add coziness to a gazebo or decorate an unsightly place.
