Personally, I'd skip the MG or any other water soluble liquid fertilizer. If you fertilize in spring with a rose or tomato fertilizer, that's all that is really required. Plants grown in containers will typically require supplemental fertilization through the growing season and a water soluble is best for that (unless using a CRF like Osmocote) but IME, inground plantings do not require copious amount of ferts. In fact, it is my theory, developed after many years of growing and selling clematis, that excessive fertilization results in too rapid growth that is often prone to clematis wilt.

I think we all fall prey to fertilizer marketing campaigns and think that the only way to grow anything successfully is to constantly keep applying fertilizers. Unfortunately, this is almost the direct opposite of what is best for the plants. The bulk of what plants need to grow successfully is already present in the soils -- too much fertilizing creates more problems than not fertilizing at all.

I agree with Gardengal.

I asked you before but don't recall an answer, are these new Clematis you bought mail order in 4" or smaller pots?

If so, you should not be planting them in the ground yet.

I don't think any of us on this board use Miracle Gro on Clematis.....we all use organic rose or tomato fertilizer and alfalfa pellets/meal/tea.