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How to plant clematis

Updated: 22 October 2026

The plug, the bare root, or the young climber is on the patio, and the fence panel behind it is still bare timber. How to plant clematis comes down to three decisions: how deep this type goes, how far the hole sits from the dry strip under the fence, and what the leaf stalks will twine around. Products Compared set those steps against the RHS growing guide and the six offers in the [clematis plants comparison](/hub/ornamental-plants/clematis-plants), read on 20 October 2026. We did not plant a demonstration row. A qualifying purchase through our amazon.co.uk links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. One depth does not fit every clematis in that file.

The plug, the bare root, or the young climber is on the patio, and the fence panel behind it is still bare timber.

Our top picks

Growtanical Growtanical plugs, 3 (Mayleen title)

Best overall

Growtanical Growtanical plugs, 3 (Mayleen title)
7.2/10about £16.99
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Generic Clematis 'Rooguchi' Rare 10 semi

Best value

Generic Clematis 'Rooguchi' Rare 10 semi
5.5/10about £13.50
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MCHIKJHM MCHIKJHM bulbs, 4, code D

Rank 3

MCHIKJHM MCHIKJHM bulbs, 4, code D
2.6/10about £4.79
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.How deep, and for which clematis
  2. 2.Where the hole goes
  3. 3.Support, water, and a pot
  4. 4.On the day you plant

How deep, and for which clematis

The RHS growing guide splits the hole by type. Large-flowered hybrids go in with the top of the rootball 5–7.5 cm below the soil. Montana, other spring types, late species, and herbaceous clematis go in with the top just below the surface. The British Clematis Society and BBC Gardeners’ World also mention about 10–15 cm for a deeper first planting. Use the RHS split unless the label in your hand states a depth of its own. The 'Mayleen' page says set the crown 5–8 cm deep, while the general guide puts montana just below the surface. If that name is on your label, do not invent a midpoint. The Growtanical listing prints group 1, and also claims H4 and a combined height and spread of 10 m, which do not match the RHS 'Mayleen' profile of H5, 8–12 m tall, and 1.5–2.5 m across. Herbaceous 'Rooguchi', on the RHS profile, is set with the crown level with the soil. None of the unnamed packs prints a group, so the word bulb does not earn the hybrid depth. A mouldy root is not planted, and it is not clematis wilt. What the listing had to print is on the clematis plants buying guide.

Where the hole goes

Put the hole 30–45 cm out from a wall or fence, the distance in the RHS clematis guide. The climber-planting page allows up to 60 cm. The strip tight against the fence is often in a rain shadow, so the rootball dries even when the lawn is wet. Dig a hole about two to three times the width of the pot or the root, and water it first if the soil is already dusty. Lead the stems back on canes or soft ties. The base can sit in shade from a low plant or pebbles, while the top reaches the sun. That arrangement is not a reason to bury a montana at hybrid depth. Choosing between a long montana and a shorter herbaceous plant is Clematis Mayleen vs Rooguchi. H4 means about −10 to −5 °C, and H5 means about −15 to −10 °C. Do not copy either rating onto an unnamed pack that never printed one.
Growtanical Growtanical plugs, 3 (Mayleen title)

Testsieger

Growtanical Growtanical plugs, 3 (Mayleen title)
7.2/10about £16.99
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Support, water, and a pot

Clematis climb by twining leaf stalks. They do not cling like ivy, so put the support up before you plant. Mesh in these notes is at least 2.5 cm off the fence. The RHS training page describes wires or trellis about 5 cm off the wall, the lowest wire about 30 cm above the soil, and further wires 30–45 cm apart. Use the gap that matches the support you are fitting. Water in dry spells through the first seasons, soaking the root zone. In a container, the RHS guide says most days from April to October. A pot needs to be at least 45 cm deep and 45 cm wide, with a peat-free soil-based compost such as John Innes No. 2. A retail peat ban announced in 2022 had not been enacted by January 2025, so this page does not call peat compost illegal. It follows the RHS preference for a peat-free mix. Pots freeze and dry faster than open ground. One review of the Growtanical plugs likened each plant to two clothes pegs and allowed about six weeks of potting on. A large plug is not a finished climber for the fence this week.

On the day you plant

Wear gloves. Clematis sap can irritate skin. The RHS harm-if-eaten line names rabbits, so do not turn it into a claim that the plant is poisonous to dogs. Stop and call a professional if the support has to be drilled into masonry, render, or a fence you do not own. A montana already at height is a pruning job. On the day, the order is type, then hole, then support, then water. If the amazon label is blank, plant at the shallow depth used for unnamed species and herbaceous types. A dead root stays out of the hole.

Common questions

How deep do you plant a clematis in the UK?
Use the RHS split. Large-flowered hybrids go in with the top of the rootball 5–7.5 cm below the surface. Montana, other spring types, late species, and herbaceous clematis go in with the top just below the surface. The 'Mayleen' page also says a crown 5–8 cm deep, so do not average the two figures.
How far from a fence should the hole be?
The RHS clematis guide says 30–45 cm out from a wall or fence. The climber-planting page allows a hole up to 60 cm out. Soil tight under a fence often stays dry when the bed behind it is damp. Lead the stems to the wires across that gap.
Can you plant clematis against a bare fence panel?
You can set the roots near a fence, and you still need a support. Clematis climb by twining leaf stalks, unlike ivy. Mesh in this comparison’s notes is at least 2.5 cm off the fence. The RHS training page describes supports about 5 cm off the wall. Fit one of those before you plant.
What pot size and compost should you use?
The RHS guide asks for a container at least 45 cm deep and 45 cm wide, with a peat-free soil-based compost such as John Innes No. 2. A pot freezes and dries faster than open ground, so an H rating is not a balcony guarantee. A montana of 8–12 m is a poor permanent fit for that pot.
What do you do with a plug the size of a clothes peg?
Pot it on. One review of the Growtanical plugs described plants about the size of two clothes pegs and about six weeks before they were ready to plant out. Give it light, a small pot, and water while it roots, then use the depth that matches the type.
When should you stop and call someone about the wall fixings?
Call a professional when the wires or trellis have to go into masonry, render, or a wall you are not sure you may drill. Planting depth and compost are garden jobs. A montana already out of reach, or a run of blackened stems, is not a reason to replant the crown deeper.

Related pages

Clematis pruning groups

Clematis plants

Best clematis plants: fence, border or cheap trial

Clematis plants buying guide: cultivar, form, group

Clematis Mayleen vs Rooguchi: fence climber or border

Sources

Public sources from the research digest, last checked on 21 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the stored amazon.co.uk figures. The price band is this set, not a market average. The score is not a lab trial.

  1. RHS: growing clematis (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. RHS: pruning clematis (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. RHS: Clematis 'Mayleen' (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. RHS: Clematis 'Rooguchi' (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. RHS: clematis wilt (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. RHS: hardiness ratings (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: plant passports in Great Britain (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 21 October 2026)