Basket Clematis tangutica 'Little Lemons'

Planting your Clematis:

• Dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill once the clematis is in place.
• Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots.
• Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.
• Plant with the crown of the plant 5-8cm deep to encourage new shoots to grow from below ground level.
• Refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling) and firm in the soil, avoiding the root ball.
• Water well
• Alternatively, plant up in a basket or decorative pot for an instant display.

Aftercare advice for your clematis:

• Feed in spring with a general-purpose feed, avoiding the stems. Mulch immediately afterwards with organic matter such as well-rotted manure, leaf mould or garden compost.
• Water regularly during periods of dry weather in the first few seasons after planting, especially for container plants.
• Clematis in pots should be given a liquid feed through the summer and early autumn.

Pruning Your Clematis:

• Pruning is a case of a simple tidy up - in late winter/early spring simply reduce all stems down to 15cm (6in) of soil level. 
• Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser and a mulch of well-rotted garden compost around the plant.