I have a clematis texensis Duchess of Albany. It has done well some
years and some not so well. This year I have been watching its patch
for any signs of growth, but nothing appeared and I had given it up
as lost.
Today while cutting back an anemone japonica I have found 2 shoots of
it both about a foot long. I realise that not much more growth will
come this year, but can anyone suggest why this might have happened. I
gave all my clematis some rose fertiliser early in the year and
watered with soluble clematis feed during the summer, hopefully
feeding the spot where this one had been.
TIA


Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
I have a clematis texensis Duchess of Albany. It has done well some
years and some not so well. This year I have been watching its patch
for any signs of growth, but nothing appeared and I had given it up
as lost.
Today while cutting back an anemone japonica I have found 2 shoots of
it both about a foot long. I realise that not much more growth will
come this year, but can anyone suggest why this might have happened. I
gave all my clematis some rose fertiliser early in the year and
watered with soluble clematis feed during the summer, hopefully
feeding the spot where this one had been.
TIA


Pam in Bristol
If I knew the answer for sure I would be a rich man! but I can tell you its
normal behaviour for some clematis, usually triggered by weather or slugs
but not always, sorry not to be more help.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On 30/10/05 14:38, in article ,
"Pam Moore" wrote:

I have a clematis texensis Duchess of Albany. It has done well some
years and some not so well. This year I have been watching its patch
for any signs of growth, but nothing appeared and I had given it up
as lost.
Today while cutting back an anemone japonica I have found 2 shoots of
it both about a foot long. I realise that not much more growth will
come this year, but can anyone suggest why this might have happened. I
gave all my clematis some rose fertiliser early in the year and
watered with soluble clematis feed during the summer, hopefully
feeding the spot where this one had been.
TIA


Could the shoots have been nibbled off by something earlier in the year?
Ray swears mice eat ours sometimes.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article , Sacha
writes
On 30/10/05 14:38, in article ,
"Pam Moore" wrote:

I have a clematis texensis Duchess of Albany. It has done well some
years and some not so well. This year I have been watching its patch
for any signs of growth, but nothing appeared and I had given it up
as lost.
Today while cutting back an anemone japonica I have found 2 shoots of
it both about a foot long. I realise that not much more growth will
come this year, but can anyone suggest why this might have happened. I
gave all my clematis some rose fertiliser early in the year and
watered with soluble clematis feed during the summer, hopefully
feeding the spot where this one had been.
TIA


Could the shoots have been nibbled off by something earlier in the year?
Ray swears mice eat ours sometimes.

Slugs are very fond of the new shoots and will eat them within 1 night
of them appearing.

Fortunately, clematis have a very strong will to live, and if you
nurture them in a slug free environment, then plant them out when they
have about 6 ft of toughened stem, you may be OK. I'm currently
nurturing an alpina and a Etoile Violette (r some similar name) which I
thought I had lost 5 years ago and then found a tiny green shoot on it
earlier this year.

I say 'may be OK' because slugs will quite happily climb at least 6 ft
to things that they find tasty, and another alpina climbing up to the
greenhouse roof got well and truly eaten this year. But the clematis
that I have finally managed to establish are flourishing with little
evidence of damage.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
.. .
I have a clematis texensis Duchess of Albany. It has done well some
years and some not so well. This year I have been watching its patch
for any signs of growth, but nothing appeared and I had given it up
as lost.
Today while cutting back an anemone japonica I have found 2 shoots of
it both about a foot long. I realise that not much more growth will
come this year, but can anyone suggest why this might have happened.

Sacha, Kay and Charlie
Thank you for your responses about my clematis. It does seem that
slugs are probably the culprit. They could well have nibbled the new
shoots earlier in the year and this is a last attempt at growth.
I shall be more vigilant next year and protect the spot with grit etc!

Pam in Bristol

very true i've lost count of the number of times during my night-time slug/snail/vine weevil hunting sessions that i found slugs 10ft up the bamboo canes i use to grow clematis texenis princess diana up. its truly amazing that no matter how many you catch, within a week or two on a damp humid evening the garden seems overrun with them again