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Clematis Pink Fantasy was bred in Canada. Its originator is Jim Fisk. In 1975, the variety was registered in the State Register, American and Canadian gardeners began to grow it, and soon it became popular in other countries.
Description of Clematis Pink Fantasy
Pink Fantasy is a compact shrub liana with large (up to 15 cm in diameter) pale pink flowers. The length of the shoots is from 2 to 2,5 m. The middle of the flowers is purple, in the center of each petal there is a dark pink stripe. Abundant flowering of Pink Fantasy begins in July and continues until September.
Light green trifoliate leaves are located on long petioles. As Pink Fantasy grows, it clings to the support on its own. Large pink flowers with 5-7 petals sometimes completely hide the foliage. Pink Fantasy is frost resistant. Can withstand temperatures as low as -34°C.
Pink Fantasy variety is suitable for a small area. The flower grows well in a container, can be used for landscaping a balcony and a winter garden. The root system is superficial, it is recommended to deepen the root collar when planting, and mulch the trunk circle.
Clematis pruning group Pink Fantasy
The number of flowers on Pink Fantasy is of great importance – a richly blooming liana looks beautiful in the design of the garden. Flowering begins in July on the shoots of the current year and continues until September. Pink Fantasy belongs to the 3rd trim group.
Shoots are cut in autumn, leaving 2-3 buds, the vegetative mass grows again every year. Only rhizomes hibernate in the soil. With proper care, the Pink Fantasy bush becomes more powerful every year, the number of shoots increases.
Optimal growing conditions
Pink Fantasy doesn’t grow without support. In summer, in warm sunny weather, the shoots daily give an increase of about 12 cm. The support should correspond to the height of the clematis. To do this, you can use 3 bamboo sticks tied together 2 m long, wooden or forged gratings, undersized trees.
Violas can be planted nearby. They will help shade the root system of flowering vines. Clematis Pink Fantasy love water, so you can not plant flowers next to them that will actively consume moisture. In the first year, it is advisable to pinch the vines so that the root system develops more actively.
Planting and caring for hybrid clematis Pink Fantasy
Clematis Pink Fantasy is planted in open ground in May. Landing “on a hill” is suitable for residents of the Southern regions. It is better for residents of the Urals and Siberia to use an inclined planting of seedlings, when the roots are arranged in a fan, and the root neck is deepened due to the inclined position in the pit. So, Clematis Pink Fantasy will wake up faster and start growing.
Caring for Pink Fantasy clematis includes soil mulching, fertilizing, watering, and proper pruning. For the winter, plants cover or simply sprinkle with earth. In the spring, they are released from shelter and carry out preventive treatment against fungal diseases.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Clematis flowers Pink Fantasy in the photo and in the description are always facing south or east towards the sun. When landing, you need to take this into account. Creepers planted near the wall of the house should not drip from the roof, they do not like this.
If the soil on the site is heavy, infertile, they dig a large planting hole – 60 cm in diameter and the same in depth. Pink Fantasy has long roots that go deep into the ground. Well-rotted compost or manure 3 years old, coarse river sand, rotted sawdust, dolomite flour to deoxidize the soil, and complex fertilizers are added to the hole.
Seedling preparation
Container clematis take root best of all. If it is still cold outside, you need to wait a little while planting, wait until the soil warms up, and the nights will be warm. A seedling bought in a container with transport soil is transplanted into loose and fertile soil, into a larger pot, put on diffused lighting.
2 weeks after transplantation, a backlight is organized or the seedling is moved to the lightest southern window sill so that the shoots do not stretch out. For feeding container culture, Agricola, Fertika, Kemira wagon are used. Do not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended dilution rate. A weakened seedling will react poorly to this. Watered regularly, clematis does not tolerate drying out of the roots.
Rules of landing
When planting Pink Fantasy, it is important to properly prepare the planting hole, fill it with rotted organic matter. Drainage is poured at the bottom, then humus and peat. Sand is added on top of the nutrient substrate. They make a small hill to spread the roots of the seedling on it. They fall asleep with a nutrient substrate, deepening the root collar by 8-10 cm. Such a deepening will protect the growth zone and plant buds from freezing. After planting, water the seedlings with water. Put protection from the bright sun and wind.
Planting in container growing:
- The pot is taken high, of small diameter, too spacious capacity will slow down the development of shoots.
- The transport soil is carefully removed.
- Straighten the roots and plant clematis in a fertile loose substrate with neutral acidity.
- The root neck is deepened by 5-7 cm.
After planting, they are watered with water with “Kornevin”, a support is installed in the form of a ladder.
Watering and top dressing
Large-flowered clematis Pink Fantasy loves watering and top dressing. The main amount of nutrients is applied during planting:
- superphosphate – 200 g;
- wood ash – 500 g;
- “Kemira wagon” – 200 g.
Top dressing is carried out in May with organomineral fertilizer, you can use mullein and Kemiru wagon. In June, before flowering, foliar top dressing is useful once every 1 weeks. A good source of trace elements is an infusion of onion peel.
Feeding rules:
- Fertilizers are given on wet ground.
- Use solutions of medium concentration.
- Dry additives are scattered in small portions.
- Alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.
Pink Fantasy responds well to foliar feeding. With the growth of young shoots, a urea solution is used – 1 tsp. for 10 liters of water. During the season, the plants are watered as the soil dries out, they love moisture. In autumn, after pruning, rotted manure is brought to the flower bed, such feeding will be enough for the flowers for the whole next season.
Mulching and loosening
Mulching the soil under clematis is not just a convenient agricultural technique, but a vital necessity. Pink Fantasy roots cannot stand overheating and drying out. Mulch in the near-stem circle with a layer of 10 cm will help retain moisture, prevent the growth of weeds, and create optimal conditions for the development of the root system.
As mulch, rotted horse manure, peat with neutral acidity, decorative wood chips, straw, and mowed grass are used. After watering, the soil is loosened. A layer of mulch is added as it blurs.
Trimming
Clematis shoots of the 3rd group, to which Pink Fantasy belongs, are cut in October at a height of 10-15 cm from the soil surface. The remaining shoots with leaves are removed from the support and sent to the compost heap. Plants are especially afraid of snowless frosts in late autumn and early winter, so it is important to properly prepare the plants for winter.
Preparation for winter
For beginner gardeners, caring for clematis from the 3rd pruning group, such as Pink Fantasy, is not difficult. After pruning, they are easy to cover with spruce branches and spunbond. You can simply sprinkle the cropped bush with earth.
When the snow falls, a snowdrift is thrown on top. The support can be removed so that it does not deteriorate under winter precipitation.
Reproduction
Pink Fantasy can be propagated in several ways – cuttings, layering, dividing the bush. Clematis cuttings are cut in late spring – early summer. From one long shoot, several cuttings are cut with a sharp knife. On each leave 2-3 internodes. The lower leaves are cut off completely, the upper ones are shortened by half.
Rooting procedure for Pink Fantasy cuttings:
- Prepare a mixture of sand, leaf earth and vermiculite in a ratio of 1:2:1.
- Pour the substrate into a container or plastic cups.
- Moisturize with a spray bottle.
- The cuttings are deepened by 2 cm.
- Until rooting, they are kept in conditions of high humidity at a temperature of +25 ° C. Roots will begin to appear in 2-3 weeks.
- Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of August or next spring.
Once every 5-8 years, Pink Fantasy is rejuvenated by dividing during transplantation in autumn or spring. To do this, clematis is dug up, the long roots are carefully released from the ground, and they are divided with a knife in the center. The cut sites are disinfected with wood ash and the delenki are planted in a new place.
Diseases and pests
Even if clematis look healthy, it is useful to carry out systematic treatments for diseases and pests. Experienced gardeners plant marigolds and calendula next to Pink Fantasy. They repel pests with a special smell, protect the roots of the plant from overheating.
Fungal diseases develop most often when shoots break. For prevention, broken branches are pruned. It is necessary to pay attention to dried shoots. A particularly dangerous disease of clematis is called wilt. It is expressed in the withering of young shoots and leaves, leading to the death of the entire aerial part. Before planting seedlings in the spring, water the soil in the Fundazol flower bed. A good result in the prevention of wilt gives milk of lime. A bucket of mortar is required for one bush in the spring. To prepare the product, take 200 g of quicklime per 10 liters of water. Prevents the development of the disease treatment with “Previkur” on the foliage and under the root 2-3 times with an interval of 5 days. At the first sign of defeat, “Hom”, copper sulfate, is used.
Conclusion
Clematis Pink Fantasy is a beautiful plant, blooming profusely and for a long time, unpretentious if properly cared for. It can grow in one place for 20-40 years. Easily propagated by cuttings and layering. Once every 5 years, clematis needs to be rejuvenated by dividing the bush. Preventive treatments against pests and diseases in early spring will help protect Pink Fantasy during intensive growth. A caring gardener will be able to admire delicate pink wonderful flowers every year.
