Care of Clematis plants

Question

I have a Clematis that was planted in the garden before I bought this house. I discovered it when it bloomed in the spring. It was behind a very large pine tree and all I saw were the blooms as they curled around the tree. It was planted in a corner of the house (a wall on the west side and a wall on the north side). I removed the tree and made a garden in the corner. It has been beautiful for many years (I have been here for 12 years), and this past spring it was beautiful. However, since spring it has looked poorly. We have had a dry summer. I try to water my garden but didn’t realize that the clematis was not getting a deep enough watering. I also had several hosta plants near the foot of the clematis, but they also looked bad, although they are coming back. What type of fertilizer can I use to help the plant return to its former beauty? Is Miracle Gro okay?

Answer 1

In situations with a stressed plant, especially a drought-affected plant, it is best to use a slow-release form of nutrients to avoid further stressing the plant. Fall is a good time to add compost or a slow-release commercial fertilizer according to the package directions, along with plenty of water. Next spring it should be back to normal.