Evey - The nematodes transfer by soil, so I would be afraid to cut the bottom off a container. Could the roses and clematis have their roots pruned every year or every two years just like having the vines/stems pruned? That would keep them easier to confine in pots. I believe the containers I am using are 10-12 gallons each. And they are plastic, not ceramic or pottery. They are white to keep the heat reduced on the roots as well. I have had excellent results growing roses in them vs. having dead roses (within a year) in my ground soil. I know you can prune rose roots, but can clematis roots be pruned too? Would root pruning lower the size of the clematis vine growth? Are clematis bothered by having their roots disturbed?
Here is information on nematodes:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG... They can be found in all soils in all states. Sign of an infected plant is failure to thrive and eventually death. Which I see a lot of here in Florida. Anytime I transplant plants to my garden beds ... they don't make it. Most of what I grow now is in pots sitting on pavers, not directly on top of the ground. I have friends who grow some gorgeous gardens all in pots here.
I do have raised beds, but even those will become infected with nematodes over time. I am trying daylilies in the raised beds currently and amending the soil every year to try to keep the damage to their roots to a minimum, but just started doing this. I don't know how the daylilies will do yet over time. 3 years maximum is how long my daylilies will last in ground soil in other areas of my garden beds. It's very frustrating for someone who enjoys gardening. I am also trying annual veggies this year in growbags sitting on concrete/pavers as well.
Nematodes are a real problem here in Florida because the heat tends to dry out the soil which makes it even more stressful on the plants to take up nutrients and water in the nematode-damaged roots. But water also helps nematodes reproduce and spread. So it's a constant no-win battle here. Which is why I have resorted to containers. So far containers have been the only way for me to successfully garden.
