How to feed clematis?

Many people love flowers, and therefore most summer residents prefer to grow cultivated varieties along with fruit and berry plants. Among the wide variety of flower crops, clematis is the plant most beloved by gardeners, but, unfortunately, not everyone knows how to properly care for this amazingly beautiful and bright flower. The concept of care includes not only timely watering and protection from pests, but also such an important aspect as feeding.

Clematis, literally translated from Greek "climbing plant", according to the scientific classification is a representative of the buttercup family and has many species and hybrid varieties. This flower is also called "clematis", "vine", "warthog" and even "grandfather's curls". Regardless of the species, and today there are about 300 of them, the flower needs constant feeding. After all, top dressing is nothing more than nutrients that allow a plant to bloom and develop for a long time.

Timely application of fertilizers in the right amount is necessary for clematis for abundant flowering, because during this period the plant forms a fairly large number of buds, for which nutrients are vital for lush flowering. Due to the lack of such an element as potassium, it is likely that a large number of blackened peduncles and pedicels will appear., which will inevitably affect the number of buds, and hence the appearance of the plant.

It is necessary to feed the plant not only for better flowering, but also for rapid growth. In clematis, the entire ground part is updated annually, which means that without the necessary substances, the shoots will either not develop at all, or will be much shorter than expected. That's why feeding the plant with a composition in which phosphorus is present, which regulates not only respiration processes, but also regeneration, clematis is vital... Without it, clematis grows poorly and, as a result, forms fewer buds.

In addition, the leaves of the plant, with a lack of nutrients, change their color, and, depending on the deficiency of the component, they can acquire either a yellowish, or reddish, or brown tint.

In order for clematis to please with its lush flowering as long as possible, it is necessary not only to stock up on top dressing suitable for a given plant, but also to bring it in at a strictly defined time. It must also be remembered that clematis is a hygrophilous flower and does not tolerate a high concentration of nutrients in the soil. Therefore, before applying top dressing to the soil, it is necessary to water it abundantly around the flower.

Every kind of feeding containing a set of trace elements, is perceived by the plant only in a certain period of time. For all plants, and clematis in this case is no exception, the timing of top dressing directly depends on the season.

Spring is the awakening time for clematis. It is during this period that active growth and development takes place. The root system begins to branch vigorously, the shoots increase in length, and the buds turn into leaves.Therefore, after the plant is freed from various shelters, sanitary pruning and the removal of diseased and broken stems, the flower most of all needs nitrogen-containing feeding. If clematis is young, and the soil is well fertilized, then additional feeding should not be applied.

By the end of spring, during the formation of buds, and this process takes place around May, the plant must be fed with fertilizer, which contains potassium. Timely application of potash top dressing will ensure the formation of large buds, and in the future - beautiful bright flowers. In addition, potassium perfectly resists the development of plant diseases. Do not forget about nitrogen-containing fertilizers during budding, but still potassium-phosphorus fertilizing during this period should be a priority.

In the summer, in the presence of buds and blossoming flowers, feeding is done only periodically, but does not stop at all. This is done no more than once a month, using the foliar feeding method.

Some gardeners choose not to apply any fertilizer in the summer. But this is not entirely correct, because during flowering, the plant really needs nutrients, which means that you need to feed clematis, the main thing is not to overdo it.

In August, you should not apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers in order to prevent excessive growth of the root system and the formation of leaves on the shoots. Towards the end of the month, when the flowering period of clematis ends, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used, and in September the feeding is stopped completely.

You can fertilize clematis both with organic matter, previously diluted in water, and with mineral fertilizers. Today, there are many ready-made, well-balanced in all components of the compositions, and recipes for their preparation at home.

Specialty preparations include industrially prepared formulations. As a rule, on the packaging, manufacturers, in addition to the composition, also indicate the methods of using this fertilizer.

Ammonium nitrate and urea are good fertilizers for clematis. They are used in spring to build up green mass and regenerate roots. The active ingredient in both compositions is nitrogen (N), they differ only in the percentage of the main component. Urea contains more nitrogen than ammonium nitrate, so it is more suitable for sandy and sandy loam soils. In addition, urea is more suitable for both root and foliar applications.

To reduce the acidity of the soil in the garden where clematis grow, dolomite flour is often used. It does an excellent job not only with acidity, but also allows plants to better absorb fertilizers containing phosphorus. Dolomite flour is used to fertilize the soil, as a rule, in early spring. To maintain the soil pH at the desired level, 500-700 g per 1m² is enough. It is worth remembering that the simultaneous use of urea and dolomite flour is extremely undesirable, since the chemical reaction that occurs when the drugs are applied at a time will lead to the loss of useful properties.

In the spring and summer, phosphates are used to feed the plant. The percentage of phosphorus in different compositions affects both the method of use and the amount of the composition applied to the soil. Superphosphate with 20% phosphorus content is suitable for dilution in water and for use in dry form. Double superphosphate with 50% phosphorus content can be used both as a solution and as a dry top dressing, but it needs to be applied to the soil 2 times less than the norm. Phosphorite flour, in which the content of the main element does not exceed 25%, is used only in dry form.

The main source of potassium for plants, and clematis is no exception, is potassium nitrate. It contains about 13-14% nitrogen and 37-38% potassium (K). This fertilizer is applied before flowering or in summer. For root treatment, 15 g per 10 liters is enough, but for foliar treatment, you will have to prepare a solution with 25 g of the drug. In the spring, it is better to use potassium nitrate, and closer to autumn, it is better to use potassium sulfate.

One of the best preparations for feeding clematis in late spring is "Master". It does an excellent job of enriching the soil with important trace elements and is suitable not only for root processing, but also for spraying, as it dissolves quite well in water. Besides, after only 4-5 hours, all trace elements in the composition are absorbed almost in full... For ease of use, the drug is produced with different ratios of trace elements, as indicated by the manufacturer on the package.

Water-soluble fertilizer "Aquarin" flower has a balanced composition. You can use the drug by applying directly to the soil, and by spraying. Regardless of the method, microelements are quickly absorbed by the plant, therefore the dose of application is slightly lower than that of drugs with an average degree of digestibility. In addition, this drug performs a barrier function - it prevents the development of diseases, and also protects the plant from adverse environmental conditions. To obtain a solution, 10-20 g per 10 liters is enough.

Complex fertilizer "Solution" flower is known to many experienced gardeners. This drug is perfectly balanced in trace elements, combines well with other products used in horticulture, and is quite easy to use. To prepare the solution, only 25 g of the drug is required per 10 liters of water.

You can prepare preparations for feeding clematis on your own, the main thing is to accurately observe the proportion, and apply the composition at a time suitable for the plant. At home, you can make milk of lime. Lime copes well with soil deoxidation, and is also an excellent tool for feeding clematis. Processing must be carried out in May-June before the buds begin to form.

In order to prepare a nutrient solution, you need to stock up on a bucket with 10 liters of water, where you pour 150 g of lime (chalk) and wood ash in an amount of 100 g. After thorough mixing, the resulting solution is poured into the root zone of the plant. This should be done as carefully as possible, trying not to hit either the leaves or the shoots.

Yeast is an excellent feed for clematis. Such feeding is rich not only in essential trace elements, but also in vitamins. In addition, when yeast gets into the soil, it enhances the activity of beneficial microorganisms that live there, because it is they who perfectly cope with the processing of organic remains and, as a result, release such elements necessary for plants as nitrogen and phosphorus.

To prepare a nutrient concentrate for clematis, in addition to 30 g of yeast, you will need a whole bucket of freshly cut grass, 50 g of bread crusts and 5 buckets of water (50 liters). The ingredients must be mixed thoroughly and left to infuse for 24 hours.

It is necessary to use the concentrate only in a diluted form. To carry out the treatment, you need to mix one part of the resulting solution with 5 parts of water, and spray the plant. Feeding clematis with yeast concentrate should not be carried out more than three times per season.

Ammonia contains nitrogen in its composition, which means that it can be quite successfully used as nitrogenous fertilizers. Ammonium is a fairly inexpensive but very effective agent for accelerating the growth of green mass. It is used only for foliar processing of the plant.

It is possible to spray shoots using not only ammonia, but also succinic acid. To prepare the solution, you will need to stir 5 tablets in two liters of warm water until the latter are completely dissolved, then process. This solution is an excellent stimulator of plant growth, and also excellently copes with various diseases. After all, the immunity of the treated plant is much higher than that of flowers that have not been sprayed.

Experienced gardeners often use manure as an organic fertilizer, which is a good source of nitrogen. It is not difficult to make a solution of it in a certain concentration, the main thing is to mix the components correctly, because the proportions depend on the type of manure used.

If the manure is cow manure, then 1 part is mixed with 10 parts of water, and if chicken manure is used, then the ratio of parts will be 1: 15. Organic dressing can be applied several times at intervals of at least 2-3 weeks.

In order to properly use fertilizers and organic fertilizing, you must adhere to simple rules. You should not use chlorine-containing fertilizers as top dressing - clematis absolutely do not tolerate this element, since it negatively affects the immune properties of the plant and does not contribute to the growth of the root system, which is especially important in the spring. Before buying this or that drug, it is advisable to familiarize yourself not only with the instructions for its use, but also with the composition.

Regardless of the type of feeding and its chemical composition, it is necessary to remember not only about the concentration of the finished product, but also about its norm for the plant. It is always better to add the composition in small portions, so it will be absorbed faster by the plant.

Spraying as top dressing should be carried out either in the morning or in the evening. This requirement is associated with exposure to sunlight: they contribute to the accelerated decay of nutrients, which means that the plant simply will not receive the desired substances.

Root feeding should be carried out taking into account the moisture content of the soil under the plant. If the soil is sufficiently moist, then it is best to use the preparations in a dry form. But if, after the snow melts, the soil remains dry, then before fertilizing it must be properly shed, and only then should the top dressing be applied in liquid form. After adding a liquid solution, the plant is shed again, and the soil is loosened.

After a 7-year cycle, the soil around clematis, as a rule, is compressed, and therefore the water may either not fully reach the root system, or not at all seep to the desired depth. In order to avoid the death of the plant, it is necessary to dig two small pots with drainage holes at the bottom into the soil near the flower. When watering such plants, it is necessary to moisten the soil not only around the flower, but also to fill the dug containers, so the water will reach the root system faster, and it may be possible to avoid the death of clematis.

For information on what and how to properly feed clematis, see the next video.