What can I do for my plants that have been damaged by a late freeze?

Cut the damaged part back. Water as needed. When new growth starts to appear, fertilize to help the plant recover from the shock. For more information click on "Archives" and read about what others say on the topic of freeze damage.

When should I prune my Clematis?

Clematis are divided into 3 pruning groups. There are differences in flowering time among the three groups. Generally group 1 is early, group 2 is midseason, and group 3 is late.

Group 1: Ramblers and Early Bloomers
These mostly bloom on the previous season's growth called "old wood". Prune these right after they bloom if you choose to prune these at all.

Group 2: The Summer Bloomers
This group also blooms on "old wood". Prune this group in late winter or early spring. Cut each stem back to right above where it branches. Look for the buds because you want to keep these so you'll have flowers.

Group 3: Late Bloomers
These bloom on "new wood" or the current season's growth. Prune these down to about 1 foot off the ground unless you live in a place where they die all the way back every year.

What can I do to improve my clay soil?

Clay soils in this area generally have a lot of beneficial nutrients. The worst characteristics of the clay is its structure. It has the potential for compaction and holding too much water. The best thing you can do to improve the structure of the soil is to add organic material like compost, composted manure, and even "sharp" sand. Be careful with sand though. You may end up with bricks otherwise! I do not recommend that you use beach, river, or play sand because the edges of the grains are rounded and therefore don?t help improve the air spaces in the soil. Instead, use a coarse sand, like a builder?s all purpose sand and make the mixture of sand and clay about at least 50/50 and maybe more.

Would it be better to dig out the clay in my planting bed and replace it with better soil than to ammend the clay?

No. Contrary to the belief of many people digging out the clay and replacing it will not benefit your plants. First of all, you will create a "bowl" or "vase" that will actually hold the water and you may drown your plants. Second of all, your plants may grow well at first in the "good" soil, but when the roots hit the clay, they will not be strong enough to push through it. Your plants may actually become root bound in the hole.

What is the USDA designated hardiness zone for Northeast Tennessee? For more help, click on the links button and go to the USDA hardiness zone site.

Northeast Tennessee is in hardiness zone 6, but the mountainous regions are really more like zone 5. Hardiness zones are based on the coldest tempreatures a region generally experiences in a year. Zone 6 regions usually experience winter temperatures of not more than -10 degrees F. Zone 5 regions usually experience temperatures of not more than -20 degrees F.

Can I successfully plant a zone 7 plant in Northeast Tennessee?

It really depends on the conditions of the planting area and the plant itself. Zone 7 plants are usually rated for temperatures of not more than 0 degrees F. If you have a protected area, out of the winter wind, and you mulch properly, the plant might be worth a try. This is especially true when you get down toward the Knoxville, TN area.

I have been recently hearing of "heat zones" in addtion to "hardiness zones" What is the difference?

The hardiness zones were established by the USDA to rate plants according to their cold hardiness. New "heat zones" have been developed by the American Horticulture Society to rate plants according to how much heat they can stand. There are 12 zones based on the average number of days the area experience temperatures above 86 degrees F. Not all plants have been classified yet, but if you do see a heat zone rating, Northeast Tennessee is rated a 5 in the mountains and a 6 elsewhere. That means that in heat zone 5 there are 31 to 45 days a year above 86 degrees and zone 6 has 46 to 60 days a year above 86 degrees F. By comparing the two charts, you can get a good idea of how particular plants will perform for you.