What to Do With Clematis in June for Big Blooms That Return Year After Year – 5 Easy Tasks to Do Before the End of the Month
Keep clematis blooming beautifully every year by giving them the care they need now. Here's what you need to do in June for vines filled with flowers.
If you are thinking about bringing a climbing perennial into your backyard, consider clematis. It’s a flowering vine with stunning flowers that is happy to climb up your trellis, fence, dead tree or any similar structure. Clematis needs only full sun and well-draining soil to blaze with brilliantly-colored blooms in your landscape.
But don’t confuse low-maintenance clematis care needs with no maintenance. You still need to do what’s necessary in every month of the year to keep your clematis vibrant and lovely each year. In June, as summer begins, clematis plants need a little help – but nothing too strenuous.
Here are the five most important tasks that need to be taken care of in June to ensure your clematis blooms beautifully year after year.
What to Do for Clematis in June
June is a busy time in the garden as the temperatures rise and everything starts growing. Fortunately, your clematis won’t need too much help this month. However, you’ll want to be sure to fit in these five core care tasks. It would be a shame to endanger those bright and beautiful clematis flowers by ignoring your plant’s needs. Here's what to do before July arrives.
1. Start a Watering Schedule
Even if you transplanted your clematis earlier this year, your plant should be established by June. That means it’s time to start an irrigation program that you can use all summer long. The twin goals of an appropriate watering schedule are giving the plant the moisture it needs and encouraging roots to push deeper.
Clematis is one of many plants that like their roots to be cool and their soil to be moist in June. Plants, especially vines, can dry out quickly as the temperatures rise. But that doesn’t mean that you should water them daily. Water clematis deeply once a week if it rains or twice a week in hotter, drier regions.
Watering your plant infrequently, yet deeply and slowly is best. It encourages clematis roots to grow deeper into the soil, which results in a more resilient plant in summer. Don’t forget that timing is important. The best time to water plants is first thing in the early morning. Use a drip irrigation kit like this one from Home Depot to give plants water at the roots, exactly where they need it most.
2. Add Mulch
Mulch is like a forcefield around your clematis roots. It holds the moisture in the soil even when the warm June sun turns into scorching July heat. Mulch also keeps the roots cool in hot weather and prevents weeds from growing (and sharing the limited moisture and nutrients in the soil). Last but not least, mulch prevents soil splash. That’s when rain falls on the soil and sprinkles some off it on the leaves, sometimes leading to diseases like clematis wilt.
What type of mulch should you use? The best choices are organic mulches, like this one from Back to the Roots, that are made from materials that will disintegrate into the soil and enrich it over time. Consider shredded leaves, pine needles, or bark. Keep the mulch away from the clematis stems to prevent rot.
3. Begin Fertilizing
Just like the summer irrigation program should start in June, it’s also the time to start using fertilizer to give your plant the nutrient boost it needs. Select a balanced fertilizer, like this organic option from Burpee, and use it regularly during the entire growing season. Plan to feed your clematis twice a month while it is actively putting on new shoots.
Appropriate fertilizer use helps the clematis grow and flower. It keeps the plant healthy and encourages the production of lots of buds and flowers. You might consider switching to a fertilizer with extra potassium once buds start to form. This supports a fuller, heavier display of flowers. This liquid bloom-boosting fertilizer from Espoma is a good choice.
4. Monitor for Pests & Diseases
Early summer is such a lovely time of year that it’s hard to remember it’s also the time when common clematis problems often appear. You’ll want to inspect your vines every few days to make sure that if problems arise, you catch them early.
Clematis wilt is a fungal disease that can take your plant from gorgeous to wilted almost overnight. It is more common in the species of clematis with large flowers. If you see symptoms – including spots on leaves or black stems – use sterilized pruners to cut out all of the affected areas back to healthy stems. Dispose of the diseased portions carefully. There are no chemicals or products that help this disease, but encouraging good airflow can help prevent fungal issues.
Aphids are another problem for clematis plants in June. Look for them on soft new shoots in June. Remember, they like to hang out in groups on the underside of the leaves. You can wash them off with the hose or buy live ladybugs on Amazon that will eat aphids.
5. Train New Shoots
Everyone needs support to get along, including your clematis. This plant needs a sturdy structure like a trellis to climb. Clematis are happiest when they grow vertically.
In June, there are plenty of fresh young clematis stems appearing. If summer winds happen to blow, the clematis stems can get tangled up and damaged if they aren’t linked to the support structure early enough.
During June, you need to watch for these young shoots. Train clematis vines so each one attaches to the support structure – whether a trellis or a porch railing – with velcro plant ties or garden twine, both of which you can find on Amazon. Investing a few minutes training stems in June will give you a strong, lush plant in July and August.
