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For vertical gardening, there is nothing better than clematis. The huge delicate flowers of the Miss Bateman hybrid are an eye-catcher in any garden.
Description
Among the 18 varieties of clematis that the English breeder Charles Noble bred in the 1871th century, Miss Bateman is one of the most beautiful. It is named after the daughter of the famous orchid grower James Bateman. Created in XNUMX, this long-lived variety is still found in gardens and enjoys continued popularity. The reason becomes clear if you look at the photo of clematis and read its description.
Clematis variety Miss Bateman belongs to the Patens group (spreading clematis – C. patens) and is distinguished by remontant flowering. The first wave occurs in June, when the last year’s shoots bloom at the plant, the second – in July-August. At this time, flowers bloom on the shoots of the current year.
Features of flowering dictate the way the plant is formed. The pruning group of the Miss Bateman variety is 2. This clematis belongs to the woody species. Over time, its shoots acquire the structure of wood and become rigid.
The height of the plant is 2,5 m. Like other clematis, it needs support to grow. The plant clings to the net, twisting its leaves. They have an average size and a trifoliate structure. Miss Bateman’s flowers are large – up to 15 cm in diameter. Each flower is formed by 8 snow-white petals with a noticeable greenish stripe in the center. The purple anthers contrast with the white petals and make the flower even more attractive.
The plant achieves such decorativeness with proper care and planting.
Landing
Clematis is a long-liver, it can grow in one place for almost 25 years. Therefore, the choice of habitat in compliance with all the requirements of the plant is a very important point. If planted incorrectly, clematis may not bloom for a long time and not overgrow with shoots.
Choosing a place and time for landing
First of all, let’s figure out what is detrimental to clematis.
He does not like:
- high standing groundwater – you will have to make a very powerful drainage;
- landing in a lowland – water and cold air stagnate there;
- strong winds – they will need protection;
- planting directly under the roof – plants do not tolerate excessive moisture.
Ideally, fertile loam is best.
Choose a sunny place for clematis. It must be protected from strong winds.
For plants with a closed root system, planting time does not play a special role – this is the entire growing season. If the root system of the Miss Bateman variety is open, it is impossible to delay planting in the spring – the clematis vegetation begins early. Be sure to take into account the temperature of the soil. It should warm up well in the root zone, otherwise the plant will take root for a long time and grow slowly.
Selection of seedlings
Usually grown two-year-old seedlings and clematis annuals grown from rooted cuttings go on sale. The criteria for the selection approach for seedlings of the Miss Bateman variety with an open and closed root system are different. In container seedlings, attention is paid to the number and strength of shoots. When buying a clematis seedling of the Miss Bateman variety with an open root system, they look at the condition of the roots – they must be healthy and resilient, their number is at least 3 and the presence of dormant buds.
You can watch the video on how to choose the right seedlings:
Soil requirements
In order for Miss Bateman’s clematis to please with its decorative effect, it must be planted in soil that meets all its requirements:
- fertile and high in humus;
- well structured;
- breathable;
- with slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
When planting, drainage must be provided.
How is landing
Planting clematis varieties Miss Bateman has its own characteristics:
- the landing pit should have dimensions – 0,6×0,6×0,6 m;
- the drainage layer is poured with a height of about 15 cm, gravel, crushed stone or brick fragments can be used as drainage;
- before planting, establish a support;
- the soil for backfilling the pit is prepared from a mixture of humus, sand and non-acidic peat in equal parts with the addition of a liter can of ash and 100 g of complete mineral fertilizer;
- fill half of the pit with the prepared mixture so that a mound forms;
- a plant is placed on its top and the roots are straightened, directing them down;
- fall asleep the rest of the earth, leaving around the shoots a depression in the form of a bowl with a height of 8 to 12 cm;
- pour a bucket of water into the hole;
- mulch the soil around the plant using non-acidic peat.
During the summer, the left depression is gradually filled with fertile soil.
If you are going to plant several plants, the distance between them should not be less than 1,5 m.
Care
Clematis of the Miss Bateman variety cannot be called a capricious plant, but decorativeness cannot be achieved without proper care.
Additional fertilizing
In the first year after planting, Miss Bateman’s clematis usually does not need top dressing, the main food is brought into the planting hole. Starting next year, plants are fertilized with mullein, which is diluted 10 times with water or with complete mineral fertilizer. It will require 20 g per 10 liters of water, the number of top dressings is from 3 to 5. It is better to alternate mineral and organic top dressing. Some flower growers feed clematis 2 times a month.
Loosening and mulching
The easiest way is to mulch the soil around the clematis shoots, then loosening and weeding operations will not be required. A mixture of decomposed peat and semi-decomposed horse manure is best suited for mulching. If these components cannot be found, non-acidic peat, chopped tree bark, wood chips and even straw will do. The main thing is that the roots do not suffer from overheating. Clematis are large watermelons and do not tolerate drying out of the soil, even in the upper layer. Experienced flower growers plant low annuals at their foot, which shade the soil and prevent it from drying out. In this case, regular weeding and loosening after each watering will be required.
Watering
In dry weather, Miss Bateman Clematis should be watered weekly. Water is poured under the bush so much that the root-inhabited layer with a depth of about 50 cm is completely wet. The water should not be cold. From 1 to 2 buckets are consumed at a time, depending on the composition of the soil.
Trimming
Since the first wave of flowering in Miss Bateman clematis occurs at the beginning of summer and takes place on the shoots of last year, therefore, they should not be cut off heavily in the fall. It is enough to shorten the shoots to a height of 1 to 1,5 m. Experienced flower growers practice a universal pruning method. It is suitable for well-developed clematis bushes. With this method of pruning, the weakest shoots are cut into a stump, while for the rest, only the top is shortened. The number of both should be the same.
Shelter for the winter
As soon as the night frosts have come, it’s time to prepare Miss Bateman’s clematis for shelter. It is carried out in several stages.
- Cover the base of the bush with compost, garden soil or humus. It is undesirable to take it next to the bush so that the roots are not exposed.
- Spray the soil around the bushes with a fungicide solution and add ashes.
- As soon as the ground freezes slightly, and the temperature drops to -6 degrees, the plants are completely covered, choosing a dry and clear day.
- Spruce branches, dry leaves or brushwood are placed under the stems.
- The shoots are twisted into a ring, wrapped in spunbond and laid on a substrate.
- The shoots are covered with dry leaves or insulated with a layer of spruce branches.
- On top you need to put a sheet of slate or roofing felt.
In winter, covered clematis need to be covered with additional snow.
Fighting diseases and pests
The main diseases of clematis are fungal. These are powdery mildew, rust, gray rot and wilt. For their prevention, it is necessary not to thicken the plantings, to deal with excessive air humidity, and to remove weeds in time. They fight clematis diseases with the help of fungicides, most often copper-containing. Against wilt, a solution of Fundazol is used.
Sometimes clematis are annoyed by beet aphids, nematodes and spider mites. Aphids are fought with insecticides, and spider mites are driven out with acaricides. It is impossible to fight the nematode. Clematis bushes will have to be dug up and burned. To protect them from defeat, marigolds or marigolds are planted nearby. Snails and slugs are harvested by hand.
Reproduction
Seeds propagate only species forms of clematis. In varieties or hybrids, seedlings do not repeat parental traits. Therefore, clematis varieties Miss Bateman can only be propagated vegetatively:
- cuttings;
- divide the bush;
- layering.
Cuttings propagate clematis the easiest way. They are cut when the buds appear on the plant. By this time, the shoots should ripen – become elastic, but not woody.
The middle part of the shoot is suitable for cuttings. Each cutting should have one internode and two axillary buds. You can root cuttings of clematis in cups, preferably transparent ones. You can root them in the ground, sprinkled with a layer of sand. In both cases, you will need a mini-greenhouse.
For more information on rooting clematis cuttings, see the video:
It is very convenient to propagate clematis by layering. This method is the most reliable. To do this, they dig a groove about 7 cm deep next to the plant, lay the shoot, fix it with hooks and cover it with earth. In autumn, a new rooted plant will grow from each internode.
Reproduction of clematis by dividing the bush is a rather laborious task. The easiest way is to divide a young bush. To do this, they dig it out and divide it into several parts, each of which must have at least one shoot and a bunch of roots. In old bushes, they simply cut out part of the roots with stems with a shovel and divide them.
Application in landscape design
Clematis can be used in many landscape compositions as a vertical detail. He can braid not only a gazebo or arch, but also a fence, a tall stump, a single tree or bush. This plant will help decorate any unsightly structure. Best of all, Miss Bateman clematis is combined with brightly blooming roses. It looks good next to other flowering shrubs: spirea, lilac, mock orange.
Reviews
Conclusion
Clematis are beautiful creatures of nature. Plant them correctly, take good care of them, and you are guaranteed excellent flowering. For inexperienced growers, it’s best to start with reliable and hardy varieties such as Miss Bateman.