How to Grow Clematis Indoors
Clematis is a climbing vine that offers an abundance of colorful flowers during the late spring and early summer. Clematis are grouped according to their pruning requirements with Pruning Group Two being the most ideal choice for indoor container gardening as these plants require the least amount of pruning. With the right amount of light, good soil and fertilization, your indoor clematis plants will grow beautifully year round.
Select a container to grow your clematis indoors that’s at least 18 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. If you have room for a larger planter in your home, your clematis will appreciate the extra space. Make sure that the container drains well.
Add a layer of gravel to the bottom of the container. Fill the container with potting soil, up to within 8 inches from the rim.
- Clematis is a climbing vine that offers an abundance of colorful flowers during the late spring and early summer.
- Fill the container with potting soil, up to within 8 inches from the rim.
Select a type of clematis that grows well in containers such as Sugar Candy, Madame Julia Correvon, Niobe or Snow Queen. The professionals at your local nursery can guide you in your selection.
Plant the rootball of your clematis plant in the center of the container and fill in over and around it with more potting soil, up to 3 inches from the top of the planter. Clematis roots like to remain cool, so make sure that the root ball is about 5 inches beneath the soil line in your planter.
Add the support pillar or teepee shaped structure to the inside edges of the container. If your clematis is very young, you may only need a small structure until it begins to grow. When your plant is long enough, wrap it around the support structure to help it get started. As it grows, continue to wrap the plant around the support.
- Select a type of clematis that grows well in containers such as Sugar Candy, Madame Julia Correvon, Niobe or Snow Queen.
- Plant the rootball of your clematis plant in the center of the container and fill in over and around it with more potting soil, up to 3 inches from the top of the planter.
Add a 2-inch layer of organic mulch to help the roots stay cool. Water the clematis well and place it in an area of your home that receives at least six hours of sun each day. You can substitute artificial grow lights for sunshine, just make sure that your plant receives enough light or the clematis will not bloom.
Water your clematis heavily during the spring and summer, keeping the soil moist. During the winter, do not water as much, just enough to keep the plant from drying out.
Fertilize your clematis with water soluble fertilizer in the spring every third watering, until the buds appear. Stop fertilizing until the flowering stops, and begin again through late summer.
- Add a 2-inch layer of organic mulch to help the roots stay cool.
- Fertilize your clematis with water soluble fertilizer in the spring every third watering, until the buds appear.
Prune your clematis based on the recommendations of the particular pruning group your cultivar belongs to. Group One clematis require removing all of the dead and dying stems after the blooming period, Group Two needs very little pruning, just remove the dead wood as needed, and Group Three requires that the plant be pruned down to the ground at the end of winter or beginning of spring.
Related Articles
Writer Bio
Katherine Kally is a freelance writer specializing in eco-friendly home-improvement projects, practical craft ideas and cost-effective decorating solutions. Kally's work has been featured on sites across the Web. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
