Clematis Westerplatte

Clematis (clematis, vine) is a plant belonging to the Buttercup family. Nowadays, the cultivation of these beautiful and spectacular flowers is gaining great popularity among gardeners. This article describes in detail such an unusual variety of clematis as "Westerplatte": you will learn the main features and characteristics of the plant, learn about the pruning group, what conditions to grow, how to plant and care for clematis. The question will also touch on how to propagate clematis, what diseases and pests are dangerous for this plant, and we will also share the gardeners' feedback on the Clematis Westerplatte variety.

Clematis Westerplatte variety description and characteristics

Clematis Westerplatte: photo

Clematis of the Westerplatte variety is the work of the Polish breeder - Stefan Franczak. Bred by Westerplatte in 1994, endowed with a gold medal at the international exhibition in 1998. This variety is intertwining vines with large flowers and is used for vertical plantings on balconies, loggias and gardens. Westerplatte clematis is necessarily grown with the help of supports, and they decorate various gazebos, fences or just walls of houses.

Clematis of the Westerplatte variety is a perennial plant with an average growth rate of its shoots. They have a high indicator of decorativeness - the plant forms an incredibly beautiful and dense cover of climbing vines and flowers, which pleases more than one year.

When creating ideal conditions, the height of the stem can reach three meters, and their flexibility and plasticity allows you to independently set the direction of plant growth.

As mentioned earlier, the flowers of clematis Westerplatte are large - their diameter is about 10 - 15 cm.The color of the flowers is rich, pomegranate, velvety to the touch. Clematis flowers with such an intense color do not fade under the influence of sunlight. Inflorescence petals are large, wavy along the edge. Several grooves are located in the center. The inflorescence stamens stand out against the background of bright petals - they have light shades - white, light gray tones. The foliage is deep green, has an inverse egg shape, glossy, opposite each other.

With proper care, as well as with the correct development of the culture, producers promise a chic, generous flowering of clematis Westerplatte that lasts from July to August. During this period, flowering occurs twice: on last year's stems and on shoots that appeared in the new year. In the second stage, flowers shower the entire length of the plant.

Clematis Westrerplatte is a frost-resistant variety - according to generally accepted criteria, it belongs to zone number 4 - this suggests that clematis, without additional shelter, is able to withstand air temperatures from -30 to -35 degrees.

Clematis westerplatte: cultivar pruning group

Clematis Westerplatte: photo

Clematis Westerplatte is a plant of the third pruning group. That is, the main peduncles are located on last year's shoots, which is why they are left. The Westerplatte circumcision process takes place in 2 stages:

• The first stage of pruning is done immediately, when last year's stems have faded, this is about mid-July. At this stage, the shoots with seedlings are cut off.
• The second stage of pruning occurs after the new shoots have bloomed, this falls in the fall, before winter. Cutting off, the shoots are left 60-100 centimeters high from the ground.

This method of pruning allows the plant to bloom profusely throughout the summer season. If you cut off all the shoots at once, then the flowering of Westerplatte will occur exclusively on new shoots and starting from mid-July. As practice shows, if you cut the plant completely, then the number of flower stalks is reduced, that is, there are much fewer flowers on the plant.

Suitable growing conditions

When choosing a site for planting clematis Westerplatte, choose a place with good lighting. It is worth paying attention to the fact that not the whole plant should be located under the sun, but only the stems, while the root part should be in the shade. For this purpose, annual plants are planted nearby, which create shade on the foot. Also for this, perennial flowers are planted, which have shallow roots.

The soil for Westerplatte clematis must be fertile, and the acidity level must be neutral.

Shoots on clematis are fragile, with thin tendrils that allow the plant to cling. Based on this, drafts and strong winds should be excluded in the area where the plant is planned to be grown, and the supports should have a small cell.

Clematis Westerplatte: planting and care

Clematis Westerplatte: photo

Saplings, which are purchased for planting plants in the garden, are necessarily in a closed root structure, located in containers. It is recommended to choose a plant for planting at least two years old. Since it is these plants that have a well-developed root system, and the stems at the foot have already grown stronger and more solid. You can transplant seedlings during the entire warm summer.

Site selection and preparation

When choosing a site for clematis of the Westerplatte variety, keep in mind that the culture will settle here for a very long time, since the transplant, especially an adult plant, is extremely negative.

It is desirable that the place be on a hill, since the root system does not like stagnant water. The site must be cleaned of weeds, since it selects the necessary micronutrients, and is also capable of provoking various diseases of a fungal nature. Also, flower growers often grow crops in large containers.

How to prepare Westerplatte clematis seedlings

Before planting Westerplatte clematis, planting material is usually stored in containers in a well-lit place. Before planting the seedlings, they, along with the container, are placed in water for ten minutes - this is done with the aim of saturating the root system with moisture.

At the time of planting, the lump of earth is not destroyed. To disinfect the plant, the roots are treated with fungicides. In order for the plant to endure the transplanting process more easily, to take root better, there is less stress - the planting material is treated with Epin's solution.

How to plant clematis Westerplatte

In order to plant a plant, it is necessary to carry out a number of agrotechnical manipulations. To begin with, a hole is dug under the clematis Westerplatte, the depth, length and width of which is 60 cm, after which it follows a specific planting plan:

• Gravel and stones are poured into the very bottom of the prepared pit - this layer serves as a drainage. If the soil is loose and light, which indicates a good ability to pass moisture and not retain it, you can reasonably skip this point;
• Further, a bucket of mullein or compost is dumped on top of the stones;
• Then add a small amount of garden soil mixed with peat;
• Then the Westerplatte clematis seedling is laid 7-10 centimeters below the base of the soil. After that, during the season, the soil is gradually added, thereby filling the remaining free space. This is a mandatory rule that must be followed when planting clematis varieties with large flowers. This is done in order to form additional roots and stems in the culture, which will allow clematis to develop a gorgeous lush crown;
• All this is sprinkled with a prepared mixture of garden soil, peat, one tablespoon of ash, as well as a handful of fertilizer (it is desirable that it be of mineral origin);
• The ground is slightly trampled down and the seedling is generously spilled with water.
• Red clematis Vetsreplatte is planted along with other plants and other varieties. Please note that it is recommended to keep a distance of about one meter between the plants. Often, planting Westerplatte with roses is practiced. It is worth noting that in order that the roots between the plants do not intertwine and do not touch, at the time of planting, a roofing material is installed between them.

Clematis Westerplatte watering and feeding

Red clematis Westerplatte: photo

It is very important when growing clematis Westerplatte to ensure that the soil is always moist and does not dry out. Plants are watered with a sufficiently large volume of water: for a new, young plant, this is about 20 liters, for an old one, this figure is 2 times more - 40 liters. When watering clematis, many make the mistake of watering the plant at the root. You don't need to do this, the culture needs to be watered in a circle, keeping an average distance of 35 centimeters from the center. In order to bypass possible fungal diseases, to exclude their spread - when watering the plant, do not touch the shoots and foliage.

I would like to separately note that the best way to water Westerplatte red clematis is with a drip system that runs underground.

Liquid fertilizers intended for flowering crops are well suited for feeding clematis of the Clematis variety of the Westerplatte variety, such fertilizers include, for example, "Agricola 7". Use of such drugs should be based on the instructions. In general, the amount of fertilizer, the amount of its application directly depends on how fertile the soil is and what the state of the plant is. Fresh mullein is not suitable for feeding this crop.

How to mulch and loosen

When growing clematis, it is very important to pay attention to loosening and mulching. Shallow loosening should be done at the start of the season, connecting to this process and removing weeds and last year's mulch. After that, further loosening using agrotechnical tools should not be performed, since there is a high risk of damage to the root system of the plant, as well as its shoots, therefore, in the future, loosening is replaced by mulching.

For clematis, mulching is very important and an agrotechnical procedure is needed. To preserve the root system, trunks of coconut fiber, sawdust or chips are laid on the ground near the bushes. This process allows the soil to always remain moist, allow oxygen to pass through, breathe, and also prevent weeds from germinating.

How to prune clematis Westerplatte

During the summer season, the culture is pruned sluggish, weak, dried up vines. At the end of the flowering stage, the “past year” stems are completely cut off. For shelter in winter, the stems of the plant are cut off, retaining only 6-8 shoots, and of which buds are formed.

How to prepare for winter

As mentioned earlier, Clematis Westerplatte is a frost-resistant variety. In order to protect themselves from possible damage to the bushes, during thaws and the appearance of frost cracks (frost cracks), the stems and roots are wrapped in the winter. The covering process is carried out in the second half of autumn, when the soil is slightly frozen. Before covering, it is necessary to remove foliage that has fallen and dried on the stems.

The roots of the plant are sprinkled with dry peat or mature manure, while filling the empty spaces between the shoots. Long stems are twisted into a ring and pressed to the ground with material that does not rot. After that, spruce branches are placed, and covered with a waterproof material.

It is imperative to leave a small gap under the winter shelter for air circulation.

With the arrival of spring, starting from the weather, from the air temperature, layers are removed alternately. It is very important that the plants do not damage the possible frost, and at the same time that the clematis does not get stuck under the cover. The growing season of Westerplatte starts when the thermometer is at +5 degrees, that is, the stems need to be tied up in time.

Reproduction of clematis Westerplatte

Clematis Westerplatte: photo

As a rule, clematis Westrerplatte is propagated from the multicellular part of the body of the parent individual - that is, by the vegetative method:

• grafting. With this method, cuttings are taken from clematis Westrerplatte, whose age is more than five years old, this is done before clematis blooms. The stalk is cut from the middle part of the stem, after which it should be rooted in a container with a mixture of peat and sand;
• layering. In this way, the plant reproduces very well. It is necessary to lay the extreme stem of an adult clematis in a ditch, in the soil and sprinkle it with earth. After the roots have appeared, the new stem is transplanted into a container, while not disconnecting it from the vine, thus growing all summer;
• division of the bush. To do this, the entire bush is completely dug up and divided. Please note that this method is suitable for plants not older than 7 years. Older plants have a very developed root system, which can be easily damaged during division, after which it will be extremely difficult for the plant to take root.

Reproduction of clematis Westrerplatte using seeds is practically not used.

Diseases and insect pests

Under optimal conditions, with proper care for the red clematis Westerplatte, it is resistant to sores, as well as to attacks of insect pests. If the conditions are not met - the plant is planted in the shade, in a damp area with poor air circulation - the plant becomes vulnerable to various fungal diseases, for example, to powdery mildew. In this case, the best way to save the plant is to transplant it to a better place. As a preventive measure, before the growing season, the plant is treated with copper or iron sulfate.

The following wilting are considered dangerous diseases for clematis Westrerplatte:

• Fusarium wilting is a disease provoked by a fungus, the main cause of its occurrence is hot weather. First of all, weak shoots are infected, hence they should be immediately destroyed;
• Verticillium wilting is the most popular disease among clematis. The cause of this disease is the soil with a high level of acidity. To neutralize the acidity of the soil, it must be limed. To this end, at the beginning of summer, the earth is spilled with cooked milk of lime - for this they take one glass of lime (you can replace it with dolomite flour) and mix it with ten liters of water;
• Mechanical wilting is when the plant is swayed and damaged by strong gusts of wind. In this case, clematis must be tied up and subsequently try to protect the plant as much as possible from drafts.

The main prevention of wilting is a careful selection of strong, healthy seedlings, their planting and care, in compliance with the rules and recommendations for growing clematis.

Clematis Westrerplatte, as a rule, is not susceptible to attacks by certain insect pests, there are times when it was damaged by such pests as aphids, spider mites. Mice and bears are dangerous for the root system. For rodents, a fine mesh is most often used, which is installed around the roots of the plant.

Conclusion

Clematis Westerplatte is a gorgeous, gorgeous perennial plant that is perfect for decorating your garden, gazebos, walls. When creating optimal conditions for its cultivation, it will delight more than one decade.The plant is unpretentious in care, even a beginner can cope with its cultivation. Clematis is not afraid of frosts down to -35 degrees, and therefore it grows and develops well in almost any region of the country.

Clematis Westerplatte: reviews

Olga Cherdantseva, 48 years old, Lipetsk
I don’t have tea in Polish clematis. On my site, Westerplatte is growing successfully for the fifth year, I cut it off as recommended for the second group. Long stems are perfectly preserved. They bloom very interestingly - first last year's shoots, and only then fresh ones. In general, the plant grows not very tall, but lush. Under Westerplatte, I plant one-year-olds with white petals that look very harmonious with each other. From care - every year I add dolomite flour in order to keep the acidity of the soil within acceptable limits.

Valentina Shumakova, 33 years old, Kostroma
I asked for Clematis Westerplatte as a present a couple of years ago. I read a huge amount of literature on its cultivation and tried to do everything as it was written. Planted as recommended. It got accustomed perfectly. I always add dolomite flour to the soil in order to maintain a normal level of acidity for the growth of clematis. In winter, I cut it completely, it's more convenient for me. Westerplatte blooms from July to September - I can't take my eyes off. I purposefully do not use anything from the fertilizer, I sprinkle the roots with manure for the winter - I think this is enough.