I bought a clematis at a garden centre closeout sale. It is named The President hybrid. I lost 2 clematis this year so wanted to replace.. However, with the rainy spring, plants have grown very dense and full that I cannot easily get to the back where the trellis is. Can I keep in the pot on the deck and plant in the fall when the plants start to die back??? or better to just plant in an open spot in ground and transplant in the fall?
Thank you for contacting Master Gardeners for your question.
You will place less stress on your clematis by avoiding planting and then transplanting it. You can either plant the pot temporarily in the ground , or care for the plant in the pot , but avoid having the the pot exposed to direct sun and possibly baking the roots. Keep the plant in a cool spot with dappled light , and also ensure that the roots do not get too dried out (although also not waterlogged), this should help sustain it until the fall.
Clematis vines have a strong preference to maintain cool roots wherever they are grown. They tend to do better when the feet of the plant are shaded with a neighboring plant to keep the roots cool.
When you do plant the clematis , also check that the roots in the pot have not become root-bound. If you find that the roots are wrapped around in circles around the outside of the root ball, then be sure to slice or pull apart the outer roots to they are free to spread outward when planted.
Good luck and enjoy your new clematis.