Need advice on growing a Clematis inside this winter, can you help ?

I bought a Blue Boy Clematis SEVERAL months ago. I never did get it planted. It is in my house and suddenly taking a major growth spurt, where all summer, it had just sat there, only a few inches tall. Now, nearly 3 feet tall and in a small pot, I wonder if it is too late to plant it outside or if I should just keep it inside all winter. If so, do I need to put it in a very cool area like the garage, and cut back on sunlight and water to let it have a dormant stage ? Or should I just put it outside NOW ? Today our Dec. temp is 63, but by the weekend, it will be 30 degrees, typical KY winters with a variety of ups/downs in temps. I would love to keep this little guy alive and thriving.

Need advice on growing a Clematis inside this winter, can you help ?
Winter care of container plants



Clematis in containers in open gardens, with the possi-ble exception of very mild or sheltered maritime gar-dens, do not enjoy the wetness, very low temperatures or strong, cold winds of winter. This means that every care should be taken to shelter these plants from the elements until the arrival of warm weather. If the containers are not too heavy, move them into a glasshouse, well-lit garage, outhouse, shed, or porch. If such shelter is unavailable, position the con-tainers at the base of a south-facing wall for protection.



Should the containers prove too heavy to move and, if the plants are hardy, prune away the top one-third of the stems and tie-in the rest to their supports to prevent wind damage and to protect the roots. A thick mulch gives added protection to the roots. Plants which are not very hardy but in containers too heavy to move should be wrapped in place to prevent ex-cessive winter damage and loss. Wrap the plants with layers of old sheet or burlap or horticultural fleece, and the containers with bubble wrap. Keep the compost slightly moist. During late winter or early spring, remove the coverings and inspect the plant. Water if the soil is dry and prune the plants as necessary. Re-cover the clematis until all danger of frost has passed.



Spring care of container plants



Plants that overwinter in containers should be repotted in spring or, at the least, have their soil replenished. Simply remove the top 3-4 in. of soil, and replace it with a mixture of two parts loam-based potting soil and one part peat or suitable peat alter-native. Ensure that the plant is supported securely, water it thoroughly, and commence feeding.



Repotting container plants



Not all container-grown clematis perform satisfactorily over many seasons, particularly the large-flowered cultivars with extensive roots. If, however, the same plant is to continue growing in a container after two or three seasons, it must be transferred to a larger container.



Successful repotting requires patience and time, espe-cially if the containers are large and the plants are very mature. The best time for repotting clematis is early to late spring. If the plant needs pruning, do so before re-potting it. Then, unless the container is too large or too heavy, ease the root ball carefully out of the container and move it to a larger pot filled with fresh potting com-post. Firm the plant in, and water it. If the container is very large, lay it on its side and run a long-bladed knife between the compost and the container to loosen the root ball and ease it out. If the mouth of the container is not wide enough for the root ball to pass through, use a carving knife or similar implement to cut the outer 5-7.5 cm (2-3 in.) of the root ball before removing it. Once the root ball is out of the container, it may be necessary to reduce its size by cutting off 5-7.5 cm (2-3 in.) of roots, or even more from the outer edges. This is known as root pruning. Continue with repotting following the method outlined above for planting clematis in containers.



When repotting, refrain from forcing the plant out of its container by the stems. If canes support the plant, re-move them before repotting to prevent any accidental injuries to yourself. Prune away at least one-third of the stems of clematis which flower on old wood, even if it means loss of flowers during the following season. Cle-matis with good, strong roots seldom die. If the clema-tis is too big for a container, plant it in the open garden and start over with a young plant.



This is all i know about these plants and hope this helps
Reply:I would suggest to plant the clematis now, if ground is not frozen; dig up a hole near the south wall of the house large enough for the clematis with its original pot; make sure the pot has sufficient drainage openings. Protect with wet leaves or mulch. In the spring relocate to its permanent location. Good luck!

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