Can I plant CLEMATIS plants in a ground-level flower box?

Ive actually already done it - as I had no choice. I am growing clematis vines up my fence but there is no soil at ground level - only cement.


I have built a large flower box, about 10 feet long but only a foot deep and a foot wide.


Will the clematis survive? At the end of the flower box its possible for eventual roots to exit and find the soil in my yard, but otherwise they are confined to 10ft / 1 ft / ft.


Thanks for any info!

Can I plant CLEMATIS plants in a ground-level flower box?
yes it'll be fine! i've got two growing the same way! if u live around zone 5 u might want to think about some straw later on when the weather gets cooler around the planter to keep the plant a little warmer! good luck!
Reply:I have a EF Young that has been growing in a 3ft long 1ft deep windowbox with a trellis in it. It has bloomed like crazy twice a year for 6 years in this same window box. I think it would depend on the kind of clematis you have.
Reply:CLEMATIS is a woody vine that is a periennial which means it comes back every year bigger and better. They like to dig deep with their root system, therefore you may want to build another box to go on top of the original to allow for more root space....and remember, wood rots.


Whiskey barrells won't due to the lining on the inside. Big %26amp; deep! Need to water anything often in them tho.





1. Check for your local growing zone area at your local gardening center to see if the roots will survive the temps in your area in the winter, ....say Florida is a Yes vs. Minnesota is a No due to drastic temp changes and freezes.





2. Should work if it has a partial shade area where constant sun and heat won't burn it up, and the root system has plenty of fertile soil, drainage to keep the roots from rotting.





3. Cut plant back about 6-8" tall when dormant in the winter. This forces the food to go back to the roots and spring up new shoots in the Spring.





4. Covering it up in the winter with heavy mulch can keep the roots from freezing due to acting as an insulation barrier.





Just love it while you have it, next time, go Annual just for the season. Lots of beautiful vines out there to enjoy, Good luck.
Reply:I have a clematis growing in a similar situation and it does ok, it's called Clematis Nelly Moser (quite a popular variety). The plant is not as vigorous as one I have that grows in the open ground, but it still flowers reliably and looks good. In fact, growing it in a confined space will stop it getting huge and keep it a more manageable size (which may be what you want).





One thing to bear in mind: clematis has very shallow roots that must be shaded from the sun (or else the plant withers and dies); this would be especially important in a shallow flower box. Best solution is to put mulching around the base of the plant, or plant some ground cover plants at the base of the clematis.