Clematis frozen? Causes, prevention & rescue tips

Clematis frozen? Causes, prevention & rescue tips
Clematis frozen? Causes, prevention & rescue tips
Anonim

The shoots of the clematis look dried out and brown to black in color. These signs indicate that the climbing plant has frozen. How could this have been prevented and can they still be saved?

Clematis frozen
Clematis frozen

How to save a frozen clematis?

Frozen clematis may be able to be saved by cutting them back and protecting the root area with spruce twigs, leaves or straw. Evergreen clematis species should be planted in mild locations and protected from frost to avoid frostbite.

Which clematis can freeze?

Theevergreen clematis (Clematis armandii and Clematis microphylla) are sensitive to frost. They tolerate winter temperatures poorly and therefore tend to freeze to death if left unprotected and not overwintered. Even when they are budding in spring, they can still run the risk of freezing to death if late frost occurs.

The other types of clematis are usually sufficiently hardy for local climatic conditions. Exceptions are those that are kept in buckets. If it is left unprotected outdoors over the winter, the root ball will freeze and the plant will die.

Which clematis tolerate frost well?

There are anumber of clematis species that cope with frost better than others. These include:

  • Clematis alpina
  • Clematis montana
  • Clematis tangutica
  • Clematis macropetala
  • Clematis orientalis

These species are usually very frost hardy and can sometimes tolerate temperatures down to -20 °C.

How can frost damage to clematis be prevented?

To avoid damage to the clematis caused by frost, this plant should beprotected in rough locations or where a lot of ice, snow and temperatures below freezing are expected in winterwill. Alternatively, it is advisable to cultivate clematis in a pot in harsh regions and keep it frost-free over the winter.

What can you use to protect the clematis from freezing?

A layer ofspruce brushwood,leavesorstraw in the root area can be used as protection outdoors serve the clematis. Beforehand, however, it is best to cut it down to just above the ground. You can cover the above-ground parts with fleece (€49.00 on Amazon) or jute. To ensure that the clematis can sprout in time in the spring, these protective materials should be removed around mid-March.

Can you still save a frozen clematis?

A frozen clematis canunder certain circumstances still be saved. Depending on how severe the frostbite is and how quickly you can recognize it and free the clematis from the shock, the plant could then grow again.

As long as only the above-ground parts of the clematis are frozen, there is usually still hope. However, if the roots are frozen, you can dispose of the clematis.

How can frost damage to the clematis be removed?

If only the upper plant parts of the clematis have fallen victim to frost and the life in the root area is still preserved, it is sufficient if you cut back the frozen shoots or shoot tipsCut this It is better to cut off a few centimeters too much so that the clematis can sprout again without any problems.

Tip

Clematis that are sensitive to frost should preferably be planted in mild locations

The evergreen clematis species should only be planted in mild locations so as not to worry about the plants freezing. The semi-evergreen Clematis kweichowensi and Clematis florida are also only partially hardy down to -12 °C and are therefore less suitable for harsh regions. They should not be left outside during the winter or at least be adequately protected.