Clematis killer

robatwork

Hi all,

In 2020 I purchased and planted 3 x different Clematis plants - actually this collection Spring Clematis Collection - JParkers in different beds - one on a different side of the garden.

They grew really well for the last 2 years and are all pretty big - more than 2m across.

They are now, all 3, dead. Deceased. Ceased to be. Shuffled off...etc. etc... No green under the stem surface, twigs snap, and no buds. All other plants next to them are healthy and alive.

What has happened? Was this winter a mass Clematis killer?

(If it's helpful, this is in S England)

Farway

My one has gone the same way, off to visit the Fjords

I'm also S England

I am hoping fresh growth will come from the roots, it seems this is what sometimes happens which is why the advice is to plant deep and give chance for fresh base growth

In the meantime, I have my fingers crossed and doing nothing

Silvertabby

North of Watford gap here, but my Jackmanii and Rebecca clematis are romping away.  Some are hardier than others.

Katiehound

Mine are fine yet I lost all my hardy fuchsias & hebes. (Lincolnshire) 

Ah, now I have looked at the link- Montana. yes, mine are alive , not quite as vigorous as usual but I think I cut them at the wrong time of year last year. I have Elizabeth & Nora, flowering now. My alpine has been very vigorous- Frankie?

just wondering if the dreaded wine weevil might have attacked the root system?

I would check the root system. Cut back well & try some plant food before consigning them to the bin!

just to say these are well established- they've been in for years

Flugelhorn

Elizabeth survived the winter. last summer I lost a clematis suddenly - all drooped, watered it but resus was unsuccessful - suspect the weevil 

Brie

My "hairy old man" clematis also retired over the winter.  Which surprised me as it was happy as Larry all through the drought last summer while the other climbers wilt and dropped their leaves.  Or maybe that's why the clematis deceased itself - couldn't stand the cold winter after getting through the summer.  It's still covered with the hairy seeds clusters and I'm currently trying to get some of those to sprout and then will use the dead wood as a trellis for any new plants.  

fyi - south coast

robatwork

Brie said:

My "hairy old man" clematis also retired over the winter.  Which surprised me as it was happy as Larry all through the drought last summer while the other climbers wilt and dropped their leaves.  Or maybe that's why the clematis deceased itself - couldn't stand the cold winter after getting through the summer.  It's still covered with the hairy seeds clusters and I'm currently trying to get some of those to sprout and then will use the dead wood as a trellis for any new plants.  

fyi - south coast

A tale of woe, but made me smile by thinking of the name of your clematis in a Sid James voice.

twopenny

My cheap ones are ok - I think.
But i think drought followed by wet followed by ice followed by rain and chilly spring was probably the cause.

Ive found them tricky and fussy but the£2 ones, while not as rampant as the posh ones seem to survive my live or die aproach.
Perhaps plat some of both.
SW coastal.

elsien

Two still going strong. The one I cut back and  moved has turned up its toes. 

As have both my pomegranate plants which got through the winter before with no issues. 

Sarahspangles

If everything else in the garden is fine I would suspect clematis wilt. It can blow in from a neighbour's garden.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/clematis-wilt

But if you have a vine weevil problem and they were planted in compost-rich holes that would be my second thought. We’ve reduced our vine weevil population by planting much less in pots, using nematodes on the remaining pots and mixing more soil with compost when we plant out in beds. 

ispookie666

Same here. I think ours was probably closer to 10yrs old. 
The leaves were out really late into winter, I wonder if this contributed to demise