Just about every book and website tells you keep Clematis roots cool. Planting them so that the roots are shaded is a gardening myth! Clematis roots don’t need to be any cooler than any of your other perennials.
Keep Clematis Roots Cool
Commercial growers in California grow clematis in black pots sitting on the ground. They grow just fine. If heat was a problem, they would not use black pots, and they would shade the clematis in some way.
More and more clematis are grown in containers – providing a very warm root zone.
Prevent Clematis Wilt
A lot of references suggest planting other plants right at the base of clematis to keep them cool. This is not a good idea. The other plants keep the crown too wet which can lead to clematis wilt. More importantly, the other plants can compete with the clematis for root space which is never a good thing.
An Explanation:
The first thing to understand is that all plant roots like to be cool. On a hot day you only have to dig down a very short distance to find cool soil – that is what plant roots like.
Clematis tend to be planted deeper than most plants so that clematis wilt does not kill the plant. In northern climates the crown should be planted several inches below the surface of the soil. That means the roots are even deeper, and so they naturally get the cool soil they prefer.
Plant your clematis deep, and give them space. Mulch around the plant will be beneficial.
I fed my Clematis a Smoothie of banana peels and eggshells and now my Blooms have multiplied
So what. What did they do in the control where you did not add the smoothie? Without a control you can make no conclusion.
https://www.gardenmyths.com/scientific-method-important-controls/
Is it ok to put lava rock in the bed where clematis grow will it help roots stay cool n drain well
They won’t keep the soil cool if it is mixed with soil.
I have a climates that is about 4 years old. It has always produced lots of vine and leaves but very few flowers. I had 3 pop open in late spring and none since then. I’ve noticed that the lower leaves are a darker green than the newer ones. It is south facing but the ground is cool. It did not improve with mulch. Any advice for flowering?
I would try adding some fertilizer. If that does not work, replace the plant.