There are primarily two diseases that make life difficult for clematis. Find out here which symptoms you can use to recognize the infections and how the diseases can be combated.
Recognizing and treating clematis wilt
The number 1 source of danger for clematis lurks above all during warm, humid summer days with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius. If brown spots appear on the leaves, clematis wilt has struck. The dreaded fungal infection causes the entire climbing plant to die within a few days. Here's how to counteract it:
- Clean affected leaves in the early stages of infestation
- Treat the infected clematis with an approved fungicide
- In the late infestation stage, cut off the clematis close to the ground
- The clematis will sprout again from the sleeping eyes in the ground
As a precaution, the plants are never poured over the blossoms and leaves, but directly onto the roots. If you plant clematis under a rain-protected eaves, the fungal spores rarely reach the foliage. If you resettle clematis at the site after a previous fungal infection, a complete soil replacement is recommended.
Mildew on clematis - symptoms and control
If a mealy-white patina covers the leaves of a clematis, you are dealing with powdery mildew. This fungal infection spreads both during dry, hot weather and during wet, cool summers. Mostly you have to do with clematis with powdery mildew, which affects the upper side of the leaves. How to fight the disease with natural means:
- Cut off all affected parts of the plant and dispose of with household waste
- Spray the diseased clematis repeatedly with a mix of fresh milk and water in a ratio of 1:9
- Alternatively, treat with a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 liter of water and 1 squirt of dish soap
Since the use of mixtures with water on a clematis can cause clematis to wilt, we recommend the following treatment method if in doubt: repeatedly powder the leaves, flowers and shoots with algae lime, pure wood ash or rock flour (14.13€) until the mildew disappears.
tips and tricks
It is primarily large-flowered hybrids that fall victim to clematis wilt. If you choose wild species and their varieties, the risk of infection is almost zero. The magnificent Italian clematis Clematis viticella and the mighty Clematis montana, for example, are among the largely resistant plants.