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Perennials/Nelly Moser

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Expert: Tom Alonzo - 7/9/2009


Question
You guy's where very helpful the first time I thought I'd ask another question on my frustrated Nelly Moser. I live in NJ Zone 6 and my 2 year old Clematis bloomed a second time but now one vine has browned from the bottom up. The plant gets full sun but I keep the roots cool with mulch it looked great up until about 2 weeks ago it still has some flowers at the very top but the rest is brown and crisp. I fertilize with MG for roses about twice a month

Answer
Hi Marc,
Thanx for your question.  It's not unusual for clematis to turn brown at the bottom and remain lush and healthy from the middle to the top and sometimes just the top third.  You are correct to mulch the roots and keep them cool.  Your clematis are 2 years old and still need more time to build their root systems.  Another thing that will help is pruning.  Here is a link to instructions for pruning.  You'll need to identify which type of clematis you have and then follow these directions.

http://www.homeofclematis.net/html/pr_01.htm

I hope this helps.
Tom

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Tom Alonzo

Expertise

I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.

Experience

I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.

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