It starts shortly before the summer blossom spectacle. The beautiful leaves on the large-flowered clematis turn yellow or brown, only to wilt sadly. You can find out here which disease is behind it and how to combat it.

Interpret the symptoms correctly - this is important

If a clematis is not doing well, the disease can first be recognized on the leaves. Unlike the largely harmless leaf spot disease, identify clematis wilt by these symptoms:

  • In early summer, brown spots with a yellow border are formed on the leaves
  • These damaged areas turn brown, spread and the whole leaf withers
  • The first symptoms appear on the older foliage in the lower third of the clematis

If the weather is warm and humid, the disease spreads quickly to the shoots. Within 2 to 3 weeks, all parts of your clematis above ground will die.

Preventing and fighting clematis wilt - this is how it works

Clematis wilt is a fungal infection that primarily affects large-flowered hybrids. The sooner you diagnose the disease and take action, the greater the chance of success. How to do it right:

  • Check the clematis leaves every 2-3 days from May
  • At the first sign, cut off the infested leaves and dispose of them in the household waste
  • Immediately afterwards treat the entire clematis with a fungus-free fungicide
  • Strengthen the infected plant by dissolving 10 aspirin tablets in 5 liters of irrigation water

Choosing a rain-protected location has proven to be an effective prevention against clematis wilt. In addition, a young plant should be placed so deep in the ground that 2 pairs of eyes are covered with substrate. Since the fungal spores do not reach the roots, with a bit of luck a diseased clematis will sprout again, even if it has completely died above ground.

With all treatment methods, it should be noted that clematis wilt is highly contagious. The tool should therefore be repeatedly disinfected, and the parts of the plant should in no case be composted.

tips and tricks

If you don't want to deal with yellow, brown and withered clematis leaves at all, plant the small-flowered Italian clematis. Clematis viticella and the resulting hybrids have shown resistance to clematis wilt. The same applies to the magnificent Clematis montana and the robust Clematis alpina.

GTH

Category:

Indoor plants