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clg7067

How many plants?

clg7067
12 years ago

I would like to use some Clematis to dress up the side of my shed. To give you an idea, the height is about 4.5 feet and it's 12 feet wide.

How many plants would I need to cover a good part of the side? And will wire work as a support, or should I attach a wood lattice?

Here's the shed:

{{gwi:13695}}

Here is the plant that I'm considering. And what does 'Pruning: 3' mean?

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis Galore

Comments (7)

  • bob414
    12 years ago

    I plant mine 2 ft. apart so I would probably put 6 there. I would use wire for them to climb on. I like to use something with a larger grid like the rebar panels available from Lowes or Home Depot. It makes it much easier to pull the vines off when I prune them. It does rust so you might not want it there but consider the size of the mesh when you make a choice.

  • clg7067
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks. Having never had a Clematis, I probably would have bought 2.

  • bob414
    12 years ago

    Here are three that I have growing on a fence. They are planted 2 ft. apart.

    {{gwi:575450}}

  • bob414
    12 years ago

    Should have mentioned they are type 2 plants. They are Niobe, The President and Marie Boisselot (or maybe the white one is Madame Le Coultre).

  • clg7067
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Nice photo. I think I'll look for a grid like yours.

  • buyorsell888
    12 years ago

    You can find wire grid fence panels like that at feed and farm stores. They are inexpensive. Clematis climb them better than wood lattice.

    Type III pruning means whack them off short every year.

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    12 years ago

    If you plant type I or type II prune plants, you will be looking at dried vines in the winter since the flower buds form the previous season. As BorS stated, if you get type III prune plants, you should cut them down when winter has firmly arrived (since the flower buds form on new growth) so if you do not want to look at the dead vines all winter this is the type you should get.

    If you don't live where there are farm and feed stores, there are wire grid panels sold for concrete reinforcement at big box home improvement stores, but there is less choice of size of mesh and panel.