Clematis Cutting Back

[Leicester Gardener]

I have 2 clematis growing at the end of my garden against a wall, I have not trained them at all and over the past 5 yars or so they have grown over 8 feet up the wall and always create a bush as they fall forward into the garden.

I always cut them back (just to make it more tidy) but I'm always scared of cutting too much off at the end of the summer.

How far down should I cut them at the end of their season?

[decam0]

What type of clematis are they?....when do they flower?
Delia

[Leicester Gardener]

Hello decam0,

I don't know what they are called, they bothe flower, one is flowering now which produces pink 'balls' and the other has buds ready to flower with small white flowers.

Thanks again

[decam0]

Hi again

Below is a general guide to clematis pruning.
Yours appear to be summer flowering (group 2) so leave the pruning till early spring.
This way they may well blossom again in the autumn, and the top growth will protect the plant over the winter.
If you really can't bear them looking untidy, just give them a light trim when they've finished flowering.
When you cut them back in the spring, wait till they start to bud up and show some green shoots before you cut them back, so that you know you're not cutting into old wood - which will not sprout new growth.

Good luck
Delia


Clematis pruning

For pruning purposes clematis can be divided into three groups:

Group 1

Small-flowered species and their cultivars, flowering early spring on last
season’s growth.

General pruning:

Minimal. Remove dead or damaged stems, and reduce others to their allotted space immediately after flowering (see pic left).

Renovation:

Cut back to 15-30cm (6-12in) from the base immediately after flowering


Group 2

Large-flowered cultivars, flowering May-June on short laterals developing from the previous year’s growth. Some flower again in summer on current season’s growth.

General pruning:

Remove dead and damaged stems in early spring before growth begins, trimming all remaining stems to a pair of strong buds.

Renovation:

Thin shoots in spring by removing older ones to the base. Alternatively for those cultivars that flower twice, renovate as for group 3.


Group 3

Large-flowered cultivars, small-flowered species and their cultivars, and herbaceous species, flowering late summer on current season’s growth.

General pruning and renovation:

Cut back all growth to a pair of strong buds 15-20cm (6-8in) above soil level, before growth begins in early spring

[grandpasrose]

Excellent information Decam0!! Thanks for passing that on to everyone.

Val

[SallyJ]

A simple rule for clematis pruning... if they normally flower before midsummers day (ie group 1 /group 2 clematis) then only prune very lightly .. if they normally flower after midsummers day then prune drastically down to a pair of plump buds in early Spring.