Clematis Rhapsody is a landscape plant that is simply strewn with deep blue flowers. The flower belongs to perennial, and also remarkably tolerates wintering. The article will talk about the cultivation of clematis Rhapsody, planting and care.
general characteristics
Let's start with a brief description of clematis Rhapsody. A miniature vine that is very densely dotted with flowers. The length of an adult plant is from one and a half to two meters. Rhapsody is one of the bluest representatives among clematis. The flowers are quite large - about 14 centimeters in volume. Flowering lasts until the fall.
It takes root well, can “live” both on a flower bed, and braid the corner of the house you need or a fence. According to reviews, Clematis Rhapsody is an extremely picky plant, light and easy to care for. For all these qualities, the vine is loved by gardeners.
Pruning
More than three hundred subspecies of clematis are known. Their variety variety is very wide, so botanists divide all known species into three groups: morphological, pruning, and peduncle size.
We know that our plant is classified as a large-flowered type, and also belongs to a herbaceous perennial (liana). But we still don’t know which pruning group clematis Rhapsody belongs to. First, we’ll analyze what pruning is and why it is needed.
The pruning procedure is necessary for Rhapsody for intensive flowering and prevention of excessive overgrowing (overgrown plant looks untidy and abandoned). In addition, if you abandon this procedure, the large-flowered Rhapsody will cease to be such (the flowers will inevitably become smaller and smaller).
Thorough pruning is done in the fall, after flowering has ended. To extend the flowering time, weakened and thinned processes are cut in the spring. In the summer, about three minor strong shoots are pruned, this helps to activate the growth of new ones and also increases the flowering period.
Rhapsody in the first year after planting develops as long as possible with a single stalk. Therefore, this stem must be cut off, leaving only two strong buds. Such trimming of Rhapsody “makes” the root system grow, and accordingly, new processes appear.
Clematis Rhapsody belongs to the Patens group, and this group manifests itself in abundant flowering and requires strong pruning. The bulk of peduncles in this type of clematis is concentrated on the processes of the current year.
Therefore, it should be said that the third group of pruning clematis Rhapsody requires strong pruning in the care. After this, 20 to 50 cm of shoots should remain.
Time for landing
In order for clematis Rhapsody to take root in the garden, you need to know certain features of the planting. In planting, the most significant role is played by the time of year, and this will be discussed later.
The best time for planting clematis and care in the open ground is spring and autumn. It all depends on what seedlings you purchased. If they "sit" in specialized containers, then they can be planted at any time of the year except winter time.
If young plants were acquired after the first early frosts, it is recommended to abandon the care and planting of clematis in open ground. Postpone this event until the spring season.
Rhapsody seedlings and how to plant them
Clematis Rhapsody seedlings can be found on sale from the age of one year and older. One-year-old plants have one plus - this is the price of a seedling. Naturally, such a plant is much cheaper than an adult.
The stalk of young plants is sometimes too thin, and at first glance it may seem that it is dried up. It also happens that the germ is only the root system with infrequent awakened buds.
Such Rhapsody sprouts should be stored in a dark and cold place, if the landing does not take place in the near future. The temperature regime should be no more than five degrees with a plus sign. In this case, the root system of the plant is covered with moist sawdust and sand.
When storing Rhapsody sprouts, it is necessary to pinch them, this is necessary in order to prevent the active growth of seedlings before planting in open ground. If you managed to plant seedlings before frost, then you need to remember that a young plant can withstand temperatures up to -6.
If the root system of the Rhapsody has dried up, it should be soaked before planting in cool water for two hours. Dig a flower bed with parameters of 60 x 60 x 60 cm and fill it with suitable soil. After that, put the seedling on the central part of the flowerbed and carefully spread the roots of the plant.
All elements of the seedling, including roots, root neck and stem, should be sprinkled with 5-10 cm of soil. In addition, you will have to make a surface groove for the best distribution of water during irrigation.
Climatic features
In order for Rhapsody to grow violent, it must be looked after and properly maintained. Accordingly, one needs to know the conditions that are suitable for a given vine.
Clematis Rhapsody will willingly grow in a bright and warm place that is not too windy. Soil for Rhapsody should not be too heavy and sticky. It is better to give preference to more loose soil, through which water and air pass well. The acidity of the earth must be neutral.
It does not tolerate Rhapsody and excessive humidity, that is, during rains, it would be better not to accumulate water at the base of the plant. Plant the flower on an elevated point, since the root system of Rhapsody is about a meter and the roots can rot if the stagnant water is close.
Care and maintenance
As previously mentioned, there is nothing complicated in caring for a Rhapsody, consider the basic rules:
- Watering. Abundant, one to three times a week, depending on the activity of the sun. It is better to water in the evening, when the sun is the least intense.
- Naturally, it is necessary to eliminate weeds and periodically loosen the soil.
- Supports must be installed well in advance. The plant is tied for neatness, thereby giving a direction of growth.
- Top dressing begins in the second year of life. Produce it during the growing season and budding. Fertilizers of a nitrogen type, superphosphates, and also organic type of top dressing are most suitable.
- It is important to shelter for the winter. Especially immature flowers. Shelter materials are best used waterproof. For example, roofing material. This will help prevent diaper rash. It is better not to use materials that rot. These include, for example, wood shavings.
Breeding
There are many different ways of breeding clematis rhapsody. Here are the most common ones:
- Rhapsody division by roots. A plant about 6 years old is suitable for this. It will be harder later. Dig up the roots and cut them so that you have several root systems with kidneys. All can be seated.
- Reproduction by layering. In mid-autumn, remove all leaves and the wilted part of the stem. The processes must be combined into a bundle and put in grooves. Under the processes and on top of them you need to pour peat, then soil. The next year, provide good watering for Rhapsody, and when the sprouts hatch, they should be fertilized. Plants will be ready for transplantation next year (by fall).
Conclusion
As you can see from the article, clematis Rhapsody is not only a beautiful plant with good decorative functions, but also quite easy to care for. Therefore, it is ideal for beginners and people who cannot afford to work in the garden too often.
We hope that our article was useful to you!