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Hello Peter,
The new foliage on my "Mr. President" clematis is very light green bordering on yellow. This is in contrast with the older foliage which is dark green.
Is this normal, or does it indicate a lack of nutrients in the soil?
Your advice would be very much appreciated.
Best regards,
Jimmy
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Hello Jimmy,
This is an indicator of nutrient deficiency in the plant. Just a few questions to help me establish what it might be:
1. Have you been feeding the plant with anything and if so what was it?
2. Has the plant bloomed this year yet and does it look like it might have any more buds or flowers coming?
3. Is there a possibility that the plant may have either dried out badly or the other extreme got to water logged in the last 3-4 weeks?
Answers to these will help a lot to identify the problem.
Peter
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Good evening Peter,
Many thanks for your prompt reply.
I had planned this afternoon to conduct an in-depth examination of all my clematis plants so that I could pick your brains.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature intervened; the heavens opened (once again) so my good intentions came to naught. Hopefully, tomorrow will be an improvement and I should be able to carry out an inspection and I will get back to you.
Best regards,
Jimmy
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He He,
Mother Nature has been trying her hardest to keep us all guessing lately!
Hear from ya soon.
Peter
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Hello again Peter,
With regard to my query, I will update you on my problem.
I received 8 clematis plants from yourselves early in May by EU Gold delivery.
I immediately planted them in 7 inch pots. I filled the pots with John Innes Nr.3 compost together with some soil. The plants quickly put on a lot of new growth.
I kept them indoors for about a week before putting the pots outside.
In early June, my wife and I went to Nice for a week. Prior to our departure, I placed the pots on a table in our garage. When we returned the plants had put on a huge amount of growth and the growth of each plant had become entangled with that of it's neighbours. However, H.F. Young and Pat Coleman had put on hardly any growth.
In early July, I planted most of the plants in the garden. Before planting, some of the plants may have suffered from lack of water. I make this assumption because some of the foliage had started to wilt.
Before planting I placed the pots in a bucket of water - to water from the bottom. I left each pot in the bucket until the water had risen to the top of the compost in the pot. In two cases the pots may have been left in the bucket overnight.
The state of the plants is now as follows:
Mr. President
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Plant seems quite healthy. Foliage, to a height of about 2 feet, is normal.
Leaves of new growth, which extend another 2 feet, are coloured light
green bordering on yellow. It produced one flower before planting
Etoile Violette
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Some of the leaves have black/purple patches similar to blackspot on
roses - I do not know if clematis plants are prone to blackspot. Other
leaves have small circular brown spots. The plant seems OK and the
new growth seems to be healthy. So far, no flowers
Ruttel
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The plant had a number of flowers which wilted after planting. I feel that this
plant may have suffered from lack of water at some stage. However, it
seems to be OK.
Ameshitsuto
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This plant is still in a pot. It has produced one flower. Some of the leaves
have black/purple patches similar to blackspot. Some of the leaves have
holes eaten in them. Other leaves have traces of mildew.
Blue Angel
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This plant seems to be doing OK. New growth is slightly faded.
Pat Coleman
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About 3 canes? . The foliage height is about 9 inches. Recently planted.
Does not look too good.
H.F. Young
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The plant is doing well. New growth is also somewhat yellowish.
Golden Tiara
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This is still in a pot. It is somewhat sad. It has one cane?. It's has achieved
a height of about 8 inches and has very small and delicate leaves.
Well Peter, that's the story. You already advised me to fertilise Pat Coleman and
Golden Tiara. However, between cutting hedges and trimming conifer trees, I
simply did not get around to it.
I planted the plants in the garden in a mixture of John Innes Nr.3 and soil.
I'm sure that I have made mistakes in looking after these plants.
As regards fertilising I thought that the John Innes compost would provide ample nutrients for a period.
Any advice you can give me Peter would be most welcome.
Best regards,
Jimmy
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Hello Jimmy,
It sounds like there are one or two pointers I can provide which should help things along.
The President. I would give it one feed with Epsom salts to increase the magnesium sulphate content in the soil. This will help the plant take-up other nutrients hopefully making the growth at the top a little greener.
Etoile Violette. The black and brown blotches on clematis are most likely to be downy mildew or even the sign of damage after powdery mildew has gone. Treat with a good fungicide and feed once or twice with tomato feed.
Ameshisuto. Allow the plant to mature this season, the key is to encourage good root growth. Give a small handful of bonemeal.
Blue Angel. Could also have some Epsom salts.
Pat Coleman. Put the pot into a sunny position and check the roots to make sure they are not too wet. The root should be think as a boot lace and creamy yellow in colour with a white root tip. If there are roots which have rotted and are mushy and brown then the pot has become too wet. Re-pot into fresh compost.
H.F.Young. Also can have some Epsom salts.
Golden Tiara. Might do the same as for Pat Coleman as this can also get water logged easily. This root is not thick though, it is very thin and fine and hairy. The roots should be a pale brown colour and reasonably firm, not mushy.
Hope this gets them all going.
Best wishes
Peter
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Good evening Peter,
Many thanks for your advice - much appreciated.
Sorry for the delay in acknowledging. I was away for a few days.
Best regards,
Jimmy
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Hi Jimmy,
I'm glad the advice was helpful.
Don't worry about the delay in reply, especially if you've been away. I hope you had a good time.
All the best
Peter
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