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Clematis are extraordinarily beautiful vines used in the design of the backyard territory. There are many varieties of this plant. Clematis Bill Mackenzie is bred in New Zealand. It belongs to the species with medium flowers and leaves. Lovers of yellow flowers will appreciate this fragrant type of clematis.
Description of clematis Bill Mackenzie
The variety was bred in 1968. Bill McKenzie is a cross between Clematis Tangut and Orange Peel. This interspecific hybrid has won two awards and the hearts of flower growers. Clematis belongs to the Tangutica group, which is characterized by very long vines (from 4 to 6 m).
In the description of clematis, Bill Mackenzie (shown in the photo), it is indicated that the variety forms long branches. The length of the shoots can reach 5 m, so the appropriate support should be chosen.
This type of clematis blooms with medium-sized flowers, the diameter of which can vary from 6 to 8 cm. The yellow flowers of the plant have 4 sepals. The length of the sepal reaches 3,5-4 cm, and the width is half as much – no more than 2 cm. The stamen filaments have a reddish-brown hue, and the anthers are painted beige. Initially, the flowers resemble bells, but after the sepals open, they become flat. The flowering of the variety is long: from May-June until autumn.
The fruits of the Bill Mackenzie variety are nuts collected in seedlings. They, like flowers, look very decorative and adorn the bush in autumn.
The frost resistance zone of the plant is 4-9, i.e. the culture is quite resistant to frost and is suitable for growing in the Moscow region.
Growing Conditions for Clematis Bill McKenzie
Variety Bill Mackenzie is desirable to grow in an open to the sun, but calm area. The culture does not impose requirements on the soil, therefore it can grow on any soil. The plant feels best on loose, humus-rich, sandy and loamy soils that are not waterlogged by groundwater. Soil acidity can range from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.
The plant is frost-resistant, but you can not do without pruning and shelter. This will help protect the flower buds from freezing, and the clematis will bloom profusely.
Planting and caring for clematis Bill Mackenzie
For planting, you need to prepare a hole. The average size of the planting hole is 60 cm in diameter and 55-70 cm deep. The depth depends on the size of the root system of the seedling and the quality of the soil. If the groundwater is too close to the surface, the hole is dug deeper to fill the bottom with a drainage layer (15-20 cm). For this, improvised materials are used: broken brick, expanded clay, gravel, sand.
They prepare the soil for the seedling, for this they mix the earth from the pit with compost, humus and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1.
If the acidity of the soil is increased, then dolomite flour or slaked lime is additionally added to the planting pit.
As a fertilizer for a seedling, it is best to use mineral compounds.
Landing technology:
- The seedling is carefully removed from the package, the roots are straightened.
- The prepared nutrient mixture is poured into the planting hole with a mound.
- Clematis is installed vertically on the top of an earthen mound, deepening it into the ground by about 10-15 cm.
- The roots are evenly distributed on the ground.
- The landing pit is covered with soil, gently tamping with hands.
- Clematis seedling watered.
- To protect against overheating, the soil is covered with mulching material. It prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture, and does not allow weeds to grow.
- An additional shadow in the root circle can be created using flowering annuals and perennials with a shallow root system (marigolds, chamomile, petunias).
The best time to plant clematis is spring and autumn. If the seedling is bought in the summer, it must have a closed root system. You can plant it using the same technology as indicated above.
If the acquired seedling has open roots and signs of drying are visible, then before planting they are soaked in Epin’s solution. You can place the seedling in a bucket of cool water for several hours (at least 6 hours).
In the first year, the seedling is especially vulnerable, so it needs careful care. In order for the root system to form correctly, clematis is fertilized three times a season with mineral top dressing. If the flower tries to release buds, they must be cut off so as not to burden the plant weakened by the transplant.
Proper care allows you to grow beautiful and healthy clematis bushes that will delight your eyes with their flowering every year.
Clematis Bill Mackenzie needs periodic watering. In hot weather, watering is done at least 2-3 times a week. At the same time, not only the soil is moistened, but also the foliage. Do this in the evening hours after sunset, so as not to burn the leaves. Insufficient watering is indicated by small flowers and their insufficient number. In this case, it is desirable to feed the plant and water a little more often.
Top dressing is carried out in spring and summer, alternating mineral and organic compounds. The procedure is carried out no more than twice a month. In the first year after planting clematis, Bill Mackenzie can not be fed; the seedling has enough fertilizer applied to the planting pit.
Preparation for winter
Preparation for winter consists in pruning and sheltering clematis bushes. The terms of shelter for the winter depend on the region, but it is advisable to carry out work in dry weather, before the onset of frost. A big problem with clematis is the danger of decay. In the spring, seedlings should be opened immediately after the threat of frost has passed.
Clematis pruning group Bill McKenzie – 3 (heavy pruning). In order for the bushes to bloom magnificently in the summer, strong pruning is necessary. Clematis are cut at the level of 2-3 knots from the ground. In addition, damaged and diseased shoots are completely removed. Dead shoots can be pruned in the spring.
Reproduction
Clematis Bill Mackenzie is propagated in various ways:
- seeds;
- layering;
- cuttings;
- division of the bush.
Seeds for planting must be fully ripe, so they are harvested no earlier than mid-September. The seed material of hybrids does not always sprout with parental characteristics, therefore cuttings and layering methods are more often used. To divide the bush, you can use two methods: full or partial undermining of the roots.
Diseases and pests
Violation of the rules of agricultural technology leads to the fact that Clematis Bill Mackenzie can get sick and even die from various diseases:
- withering;
- gray rot;
- rust;
- powdery mildew.
High soil moisture, heavy rainfall lead to the spread of fungal infections. To combat wilting, a solution of foundationazole is used. 0,2% composition 2-3 times water the soil in the trunk circle. The drug helps to slow down the development of fungal diseases, but with severe damage to the roots, the plant is dug out of the garden and destroyed.
Fungal diseases can be cured with the help of copper-containing agents: Oksihom, Bordeaux liquid. They process foliage and shoots.
Viral pathologies are very rare in clematis. Sucking pests contribute to the spread of the yellow mosaic. There are no effective drugs for this pathology, therefore, at the first symptoms of the disease, the plant is dug up and destroyed.
The appearance of nematodes on clematis also leads to the death of the plant. If, when digging out rotten bushes, signs of infection of the plant with a gall nematode are revealed, clematis is not recommended to be grown in this place for several more years.
Conclusion
Clematis Bill Mackenzie is a common variety with yellow fragrant inflorescences. Liana blooms from June to September. Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, it rarely gets sick.
