Fertilize clematis: timing & care tips

Clematis bloom beautifully - but only with optimal nutrient supply. We will show you when, how and with what you can best fertilize your clematis.

Even though clematis, also called clematis, manage well with their nutrients in the soil, an additional supply is often useful. Further fertilization is indispensable, especially for the strong growth of individual species and the development of the flower. Only a well cared for clematis forms dense foliage and a lush bloom, which wraps your garden in a colorful dress in summer.

Clematis are impressive bloomers climbing plant, which also turn an unsightly corner in the garden into a real eye-catcher. But the combination of elongation and flowers ensures a decent nutrient requirement. We will therefore show you how often, when and with what you should fertilize your clematis.

Clematis when to fertilize?

When planting the clematis, you should start with plenty of ripening compost and horn shavings put in the planting hole to get a good start. These organic long-term fertilizer are released slowly and gently to the surrounding soil and thus also to your clematis.

The first care fertilization follows in the following year. The period of time during which fertilizer is applied should be adapted to the growth phase of the climbing plants. Therefore, fertilization is carried out from March to mid-August. During this time, clematis are fertilized one to three times. How often and when you should use the fertilizer depends on the chosen fertilizer product and the clematis species away. The best time to apply a long-term fertilizer is spring, more precisely March just before the first annual shoot. Here you should give the main part of fertilizer. Since clematis are particularly hungry shortly before and during the flowering phase, they should be fertilized again at the beginning of the flowering period.

Please note, however, that different species or varieties can have a different flowering time. This is how it begins Clematis alpina already in April to show their flower dress. Other species, on the other hand, do not flower until June. Fast growing species like Clematis lanceolata, Clematis viticella, Clematis texensis and many clematis hybrids require particularly large amounts of nutrients. You should fertilize them again in June/July. Since clematis depend on a constantly high supply of nutrients during their growth phase, you can also distribute the amount of fertilizer over the entire growth phase. Then fertilize regularly in small amounts every 14 days. This is also recommended if you use a short-term mineral fertilizer product.

If you want to do your flowering darlings a favor, you can switch to a low-nitrogen fertilizer with a lot of potassium and phosphate from mid-August to September. This is especially the case with the particularly long-flowering ones Clematis viticella worth considering. Because it wears its impressive flower dress until September, sometimes even until the first frost.

Clematis: with what and how much to fertilize?

One method of fertilizing the clematis is to incorporate mature compost or crap. As organic substances, these ensure long-term fertilization and an even supply of nutrients. A sufficient supply of phosphate is particularly important for the formation of the flower. Comfrey manure can provide the extra potassium you need. This not only strengthens the plant against low winter temperatures, but also maximizes the length of the flowering phase.

But other complete fertilizers can also be used, as long as the NPK ratio, i.e. the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus to potassium, is right. Our Plantura organic flower fertilizer offers a particularly high proportion of potassium and the phosphate, which is important for the flowering phase, is also made available in sufficient quantities. The fertilizer consists mainly of organic components, which are produced in a much more resource-saving manner than the mineral variants. In this way you can fertilize in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, even without using a natural fertilizer. In addition, these fertilizers do not need to be applied as often. The reason for this is that the components are in complex form, which must first be broken down by microorganisms in the soil. In this way you promote soil life and minimize the risk of over-fertilization, since organic fertilizers themselves have a long-term effect.

Lime clematis tip: The optimal pH for your clematis is between 5.5 and 6.5. However, if the soil pH falls below the magic limit of 5.5, you can counteract this by applying lime. Early flowering, lime-loving species such as Clematis alpina. With these, you should lime a little every two to three years on rather acidic soil. Rock flour can serve as a good source of lime, which also provides important trace elements. Your clematis particularly need the iron it contains. Some varieties like Clematis viticellas and Clematis texensis prefer a pH value around 5.0. In general, but especially with these species, make sure that the pH value does not rise too much as a result of the addition of lime. Otherwise, the plants can hardly absorb iron. The plants then suffer from iron deficiency and form unsightly chlorosis.

Organic long-term fertilization: Application recommendation for clematis

If the nutrient supply of your clematis is based on natural products, i.e. a combination of mature compost and comfrey manure the compost either once in the spring and as needed or every 14 days in smaller amounts into the top layer of soil incorporated. The comfrey manure is diluted in a ratio of 1:10 and given every 14 days when watering. If you choose an organic complete fertilizer from a specialist dealer, you don't have to pay as much attention to the dosage when applying it as you would with a mineral fertilizer. But here, too, only optimal fertilization brings an optimal result. Therefore we have below a small overview of the application of our Plantura organic flower fertilizer compiled. You can use this fertilizer, which is almost exclusively based on organic sources, when fertilizing your clematis as follows:

1. Before planting 100 - 150 g/m² (well filled 0.2 liter glass) of ours Plantura organic flower fertilizer work into the top layer of soil
2. Ground and freshly planted clematis pour well so that the granules can dissolve well.
3. For maintenance fertilization in spring, you should fertilize another 80 - 120 g/m² (0.2 liter jar) per plant

If necessary, small quantities can be added again during the growing season. If you spread an additional mulch layer of bark mulch, leaves or clippings in the root area after fertilization, you also minimize water loss in the soil. This is particularly advisable for thirsty plants like clematis. In addition, the mulching offers a supplementary long-term supply of nutrients and has a good insulating effect in winter.

Fertilize clematis with minerals

A clematis also feels at home in a pot in a nice large bucket. This gives you the opportunity to let your balcony and terrace grow or to cultivate species that are not hardy. These are then simply housed in a sheltered place for the winter. Due to the limited volume of soil, mineral fertilizers can be an advantage here, if used correctly. Not many nutrients can be stored in the substrate anyway. Fertilize pot clematis or planted specimens with one mineral fertilizer how blue grain from March to August at regular intervals every 14 days, because the nutrients are usually only available to the plants for a short time.

Then water vigorously after the fertilizer application so that the nutrients can also be absorbed. However, always pay attention to the dosage information provided by the manufacturer. The fertilizers are highly concentrated and can very quickly lead to over-fertilization of your plants. Alternatively, you can also use it in pot culture organic long-term variant to grab. This way you don't run the risk of oversupplying the plants. In addition, the organic variants offer sufficient nutrients without going beyond your biological footprint.

Fertilize clematis with home remedies: coffee grounds and co

Coffee grounds are an excellent NPK fertilizer that can be found in almost every household. However, keep in mind that Coffee grounds as fertilizer lowers soil pH. If the soil is too acidic, your clematis will be happy about one Fertilization with crushed egg shells as a source of lime. In this way you can easily compensate for the pH reduction. Another treasure in the kitchen waste are banana peels. When cut into small pieces, these provide a good deal of phosphate and potassium, so they are just right for supplying your clematis. All of these finds are best carefully worked into the top layer of soil, where they slowly decompose and release their valuable ingredients to the plant.