Clematis help

[fiveaday]

Last year we bought a couple of Clematis and they've grown nicely this spring and one (Montana Elizabeth) has already started flowering.

However, whilst it has climbed nicely up the canes we put in for support it has tangled around itself and has remained fairly tightly bundled. So this morning I've untangled it and spread it out over some wires we installed recently hoping it will fan out and provide a larger area of cover.



The first question I have is: was this the right thing to do? I've now looked at photos of Montana Elizabeth and they all seem to show it growing as a single clump growing up a support.

The second query is: after untangling the clematis there were a few casualties, about half a dozen broken stems. I noticed the leaf nodes where very similar to those of strawberry runners and so I've cut them down and potted them up as a bit of an experiment to see if they'll root. However, I've now had a google and seen that the method is different for taking clematis cuttings. Should I remove these from the pots and start again or has anyone else had any success like this? Granted I should probably remove some of the leaves and flowers to prevent moisture loss.



TIA

[Bigmallly]

Montana is a bit of a thug once it gets going, it's one of the first Clematis to flower & is lovely. You have nothing to lose by potting on some cuttings, I would remove the flowers as you want them to put energy into growing roots not flowers.

[veggiechicken]

I don't know anything about growing clematis but I have grown them from cuttings. I stuck them in a pot with the compost above the leaf joint, having cut off those leaves and any flowers first.
No idea what the recommended method is so don't listen to me!

[Nicos]

You are aware they grow 25-40 ft long?

[DannyK]

You mean like this?

I've also got a Montana Grandiflora, which refuses to climb!

[Nicos]

Beautiful isn't it?

[Nicos]

I have one growing along a barbed wire fence.
Sort of espaliered in both directions along each piece of wire!

[DannyK]

Montanas certainly give you bang for your bucks. They are many years old.
The third from the left was originally in a tree that died. We managed disentangle it and haul it into the cedar. Three stems thicker than my wrist. All are scented but too high to smell now.

Is it normal for grandiflora not to climb?

[fiveaday]

I would remove the flowers as you want them to put energy into growing roots not flowers.

Too true, Big Mal I just couldn't resist leaving the flowers on for a day or so as they've added a nice bit of colour to the conservatory. If we leave loose the cuttings at least we've had some flowers inside already.

I don't know anything about growing clematis but I have grown them from cuttings. I stuck them in a pot with the compost above the leaf joint, having cut off those leaves and any flowers first.
No idea what the recommended method is so don't listen to me!

You're method is pretty much spot on, what I've done is plunge the whole node (including leaves, flowers, etc) into the soil, similar to what I would do with strawberry runners.

You are aware they grow 25-40 ft long?

Yes, we may need to control a bit but the idea was to have something that would have enough growth to climb over the top of the garage door.

However, looking at Dannyk's photos I'm now a little scared

[DannyK]

However, looking at Dannyk's photos I'm now a little scared

Don't worry too much, they're 20+ years old. Easy to give a haircut to to keep in check.

Keep tying in as they don't always go where you want them to. I put an armandii in to go across trees at bottom of garden. Instead it's gone 30ft up next door's ash!

[rary]

Cuttings for clematis are inter nodal ie taken between leaf joints or look at your cutting and you will see that one side at the leaf joint has the tendrils they climb with, remove the leaf and tendril and pin this side down on compost, this can root quicker than inter nodal, or do as VC does, just stick them in and see what happens

[rary]

Should have added try putting wire mesh over your garage to give it something to climb over, and yes it will cover the garage