The clematis is one of the most popular climbing plants due to its lush and large flowers. But in order for it to really show its best side and always stay healthy, it also needs the right nutrients. Which fertilizer is best for clematis?
This is a relatively simple answer, but in addition to the conventional commercial fertilizers, some home remedies can also be used. How practical!
What the fertilizer should contain
What nutrients should be included in fertilizer for clematis?
- Potassium
- Nitrogen
- Phosphate: Be sure to use a natural source, as added rock phosphate is ecologically questionable
It's also best to access:
- organic fertilizer
- You can fertilize clematis with rose fertilizer
How often should you actually fertilize?
- The fertilization season officially begins in March and ends in September. Afterwards, you should definitely avoid administering any further nutrients, as the new shoots that will continue to emerge will then be vulnerable to frost.
- From March onwards, administer the selected remedy every two weeks.
- make exceptionsfreshly planted specimens. In the first year after planting, nutrient additions are unnecessary. But this only applies if you have worked and cared for the soil well beforehand.
Which fertilizer for clematis? You are spoiled for choice
Of course, there are special clematis fertilizers on the market that are tailored to the needs of the plant. But it doesn't always have to be the supposedly special thing, which is usually even more expensive than equally good alternatives. So what can you use if you don't have special fertilizer at home or want to save money?
Compost – of course!
It would probably be quite strange if compost were not suitable for fertilization, when it is so versatile in its composition, costs nothing if you make it yourself and is also so easy to use. It improves the condition of the soil and rots quickly, so that the effect begins a short time later.
Clematis underplantings protect against drying out.Find out here, what is suitable.
Spread horn shavings for clematis
Horn fertilizer is one of the most effective and popular fertilizers for your own garden. No wonder, because depending on how it is processed, it is a wonderful long-term or instant fertilizer. The finer horn meal rots and is ready to be absorbed more quickly than horn shavings, which in turn release nutrients for a longer period of time.
Remember that this remedy is rich in nitrogen. This means that it promotes the growth of the green parts of the plant (i.e. shoots and leaves), but reduces flower formation. Horn fertilizer is a good idea if you want to stimulate growth in general. You can mix it with compost and discharge it that way.
How to care for clematis in potsfind out here.
Which fertilizer for clematis that blooms poorly?
Unlike horn fertilizer, which is nitrogen-heavy, brushwood comes with plenty of potassium, which is perfect for stimulating flowering. A plant that is lazy to bloom benefits from this remedy. Of course, you don't distribute brushwood as it is (you only do that in winter as winter protection). In order to use the branches as fertilizer for clematis (and other plants), they must first be composted. Then use brushwood just like compost.
Use poultry products correctly for the beautiful clematis
You can make clematis fertilizer yourself by using certain waste products from chickens etc. On the one hand, there is the droppings, which, with their composition of plenty of potassium and nitrogen, are simply perfect for promoting the growth of the entire plant.
Since the pH value is also important for the correct growth of clematis, you should check it regularly. Soil that is too acidic disrupts flower formation and should be balanced out. This is where the egg shells come in handy. Collect these over the winter and grind them into a powder. You then work this into the soil in spring. pH shouldn't be a headache for the rest of the season.
An alternative to eggshells is baking soda:This home remedy can also be used against acidic soil and thereby stimulate flowering. Administer the powder dissolved in water in the form of irrigation water (1 tbsp to 2 L).
Which varieties are suitable for containers? Readhere.
Administer plant manure
Really every plant benefits from manure and some are not only supplied with nutrients, but also receive protection against pests and diseases (this is the case with nettle manure, for example). Comfrey is very useful for clematis. However, time should be allowed for to produce a manure from it. It will take two or three weeks until this is finished.
- Only use comfrey that has not yet bloomed.
- Fill a bucket or other container with the plants and top off with water.
- Cover the whole thing so that no larger dirt can fall in. The air should still be able to circulate. A grid or net, for example, is well suited.
- The manure is stirred every day.
- Dilute the natural fertilizer for clematis in a ratio of 1:10, being careful not to wet the leaves.
Fertilizing with coffee grounds? Yes, but with caution!
Used coffee has always been a popular home remedy not only in the home but also in the garden. It can also work really wonderfully for clematis, but there are a few things you should keep in mind.
- Coffee grounds are very nutrient-rich and provide plenty of nitrate, phosphate and potassium.
- But the powder is also acidic and can therefore quickly turn down the pH value, like thisPlantura Magazinewarns.
- It is best to administer the coffee powder with a balancing agent such as ground eggshells, baking soda (see instructions above) or lime.
Find outin this articleHow to cut clematis correctly.
