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Anyone who has ever seen how luxurious clematis blooms is unlikely to be able to forget this inimitable beauty. But every grower knows that in order to achieve this splendor, you need to make a lot of work. One of the important measures for the care of flowers is the timely application of fertilizers.
And clematis is no exception, because it can grow in one place for up to thirty years. The stock of mineral and nutrients in the soil gradually dries up, and an outwardly healthy plant stops blooming and starts to get sick. Feeding clematis in the spring will help to avoid many failures.
What elements does Lomonos need
Before making any top dressing, it is important to understand what exactly the plant needs during certain periods of growth and development, which fertilizers contain the necessary elements, and when it is worth starting to feed clematis.
First of all, clematis is fed in early spring, not only for lush flowering, but also to replenish nutrients, which are becoming less and less in the composition of the soil every year.
In the spring, during the period of active growth of the liana, nitrogen is vital for flowers. With its lack, the plants lose their bright emerald green color of the foliage, become lethargic and lifeless. The kidneys develop unevenly, which is immediately reflected in the appearance of clematis.
In the summer, when the phase of violent and luxurious flowering begins, clematis are in dire need of potash supplements. The lack of potassium affects the brightness, size and color of the inflorescences. Phosphorus is no less important for them.
Nutrient and mineral deficiencies can affect more than just clematis blooms. The result of a lack of important elements can be the final loss of varietal characteristics, as well as the general weakening of the plant.
Weak flowers are increasingly getting sick, there are fewer flowers on the vines, the inflorescences are smaller, the duration of flowering is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is advisable to feed clematis in time in the spring, than later lament about the withering of flowers, yellowing of foliage, or the hopeless loss of the entire plant.
What fertilizer to choose
All fertilizers are conditionally divided by gardeners into two groups – organic and mineral. Experienced flower growers are advised to alternate mineral supplements with organic matter for better absorption of nutrients.
Organic Fertilizers
Humus, or humus, is rich in nitrogen, and therefore ideal for feeding clematis in early spring in the country, in a flower bed, or in the garden. You can use diluted bird droppings or cow dung.
Bird droppings are diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15, and manure 1:10. It is desirable that this solution is infused for 3-5 days. The minimum solution volume is 8-10 liters per clematis bush. Remember the main thing: in no case do not use fresh organic matter to fertilize flowers.
Fertilizers of organic origin can feed clematis in the spring, before flowering, no more than two times with a break of two to three weeks.
The first procedure for feeding clematis is carried out in late April – early May, when the temperature on the street is firmly established + 10˚С + 12˚С.
Fertilize clematis with organic fertilizers, preferably in liquid form. Nutrients quickly penetrate into the lower layers of the soil, to the roots of flowers, and are quickly absorbed.
For the second time in spring, clematis can be fed in 2-3 weeks, in mid-late May.
In the absence of organic matter, you can fertilize the flowers with an infusion of herbs: nettle, dandelion in the amount of 1 bucket are poured with 3-4 buckets of water, and infused for 2-3 weeks. Before use, the infusion is diluted with warm water in a ratio of 1:10 and clematis is abundantly watered.
As soon as the plant enters the budding phase, nitrogen fertilizers must be discarded. Otherwise, you will provoke the active growth of stems and leaves to the detriment of luxurious flowering. During this period, clematis need top dressing with a high content of phosphorus and potassium.
Mineral feed
But what if there is no opportunity to use organic matter? How, in this case, do you need to feed clematis after winter for the active growth of green mass? Use urea, ammophos, ammonium nitrate, diammophos or ammonia.
Nitrogen-containing fertilizers can be applied both in liquid and dry form. In the first case, dressings are diluted in water according to the instructions on the package and the flowers are watered abundantly. In the second, 1-2 handfuls of dry granules are evenly scattered around the bush. Water the plants well afterwards. Not bad if nature does this work for you – feed the clematis before the rain.
Clematis blooms very luxuriantly and violently. And for the formation of a huge number of flowers, the plant must be fed in time with fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium. The timing of top dressing depends on the variety of flowers and the timing of flowering.
Some varieties enter the flowering phase already in late spring – early summer. This means that clematis should be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers for abundant flowering in the spring, in early to mid-May. Varieties of plants that bloom in June-July are fertilized a little later. The main thing is to apply fertilizer before the formation of buds begins.
The following preparations can be used as dressings for clematis in spring and summer to stimulate lush flowering:
- Superphosphate (contains up to 20% phosphoric acids) – perfectly soluble in water, can be used in dry and liquid form.
- Double superphosphate (up to 50%) – easily soluble in water. Due to the increased phosphorus content, the fertilizer rate is halved.
- Phosphorite flour (up to 25%) – does not dissolve in water, is used on acidified soils.
- Bone meal (up to 35%) is more effective than phosphate rock.
Apply mineral fertilizers for fertilizing clematis strictly according to the instructions. An excess of nutrients is no less harmful than a deficiency.
Clematis is fertilized with potash top dressing for abundant flowering in late spring – early summer. The lack of potassium affects the flowers: the peduncles turn black, dry and fall off, the color of the inflorescences becomes pale, varietal characteristics disappear.
In the spring, potassium nitrate can be used as top dressing. Potassium sulfate is best used in late summer – early autumn, after flowering.
What else can be fertilized Clematis
There are several more ways to feed clematis in the spring. Flowers respond well to the following solutions:
- lime milk;
- ammonia;
- foliar dressing.
These methods have long received a lot of positive feedback from experienced flower growers and are popular.
Benefits of lime milk
Top dressing for clematis, known as “milk of lime”, perfectly deoxidizes too acidic soils in the spring. It is easy to prepare such a solution. 150 grams of chalk or slaked lime and 100 grams of wood ash are added to a bucket of warm water.
The resulting mixture is well mixed. You can fertilize clematis with this solution in May and early June. When watering the bush, try not to get on the foliage and stems.
Why and when to fertilize with ammonia
Clematis, like other flowers and vegetable crops, responds well to fertilizing with ammonia.
Ammonium chloride diluted with water in the ratio of 1 tbsp. l. per 10 l, excellently enriches the soil with nitrogen. This solution is easily absorbed by the root system. However, it is very important to adhere to the indicated norms and not to exceed the dosage. An excess of nitrogen, as well as its deficiency, can lead to the following adverse effects:
- violent growth of green mass with the complete absence or scarcity of flowering;
- weakening the resistance of flowers to diseases;
- susceptibility to fungal infections.
Top dressing of clematis with ammonia is carried out in early spring, before the plant enters the budding phase.
Foliar top dressing
Foliar top dressing helps to strengthen the stems and leaves of flowers, accelerate the onset of the flowering phase. Thanks to this method, plants receive nutrients in the shortest possible time. This method consists in the fact that the preparations are sprayed from a spray gun on sheet plates.
As foliar dressings for clematis are great:
- Mortar flower;
- Avkarin;
- Master.
Within 5-6 hours after spraying, the flowers will begin to absorb the necessary nutrients.
Please note that the minimum time period between top dressing should be at least 10-15 days. Otherwise, you risk overfeeding the flowers. Two weeks will be enough for plants to absorb a portion of nutrients.
The author of the video will share his secrets about what you can feed clematis for lush flowering.
Conclusion
Feeding clematis is an important step in caring for flowers. Indeed, not only the abundance of flowering, but also the condition of the plant as a whole depends on how competently and balanced you approach this process.