brown leaves on white climatis, moss on driveway - Ask Extension
I have a white clematis that has brown leaves on stems that go to the top. There are some green stems also. It only has blossoms at the top of the p...
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brown leaves on white climatis, moss on driveway #877071
Asked July 13, 2024, 11:18 AM EDT
I have a white clematis that has brown leaves on stems that go to the top. There are some green stems also. It only has blossoms at the top of the plant. What do I have and should I just cut all off to the ground and wait for regrowth next year?
I have small spots of I think moss on my driveway which is 1/2" pea rock. They are from nickel size to ping pong ball size. How do I get rid of these since they seem to be getting worse? There is a tree nearby. I did try removing the bigger pieces and broke up the small ones with a garden rake. What more if anything can I do to eliminate them?
Renville County Minnesota
Expert Response
Generally you can prune clematis when it is done flowering. Without a picture I can’t give any other recommendations. It may be that the plant has not gotten sufficient watering or it could be just normal die back after flowering. Because different varieties require different pruning schedules, it is important to know exactly which clematis you have. Ordinarily we do not reference particular commercial producers but Donehue’s produces and distributes most of the clematis sold in the US. Their site has lots of useful information. See:
1. https://donahuesclematis.com/home-gardener-planting-info/
2. https://donahuesclematis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Pruning_Singles.pdf
Moss will grow anywhere the conditions are right, even on rock as you have experienced. Usually the conditions that produce moss are shade, high moisture and nutrients such as dead and ordinary dirt. Since moss does have very shallow attachments it can be shoveled or brushed off as you have been doing. There are chemical treatments available but usually the moss returns because the conditions have not changed. For a temporary solution to killing the moss I have used the bleach method as described in the following website.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/how-can-i-get-rid-moss-my-pavement
For future reference please submit only one question per request. Those answering these questions have various areas of expertise. Separating the questions —clematis and moss—will get the best and most timely responses.
1. https://donahuesclematis.com/home-gardener-planting-info/
2. https://donahuesclematis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Pruning_Singles.pdf
Moss will grow anywhere the conditions are right, even on rock as you have experienced. Usually the conditions that produce moss are shade, high moisture and nutrients such as dead and ordinary dirt. Since moss does have very shallow attachments it can be shoveled or brushed off as you have been doing. There are chemical treatments available but usually the moss returns because the conditions have not changed. For a temporary solution to killing the moss I have used the bleach method as described in the following website.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/how-can-i-get-rid-moss-my-pavement
For future reference please submit only one question per request. Those answering these questions have various areas of expertise. Separating the questions —clematis and moss—will get the best and most timely responses.
