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Pruning your Clematis “To
prune or not to prune?” is the most often asked question.
It should be noted that incorrect pruning would never bring an
early death to the clematis. At
worst an inappropriate pruning will only delay flowering.
Furthermore, if all varieties were left unpruned they would all
flower very well. However,
as is explained below, the flowers would not necessarily cover the plant
as well as they otherwise could. Our first tip on pruning
applies to all clematis varieties.
The first February or March after planting all clematis should
be cut back. At this time,
you should be able to see leaf buds developing as your plant breaks
dormancy. You should leave
two sets of buds on each stem between where you make your cut and soil
level. In subsequent years
the following recommendations should be used. In an effort to
simplify things, we have used three main pruning categories. Group (A) Are varieties that flower
only on growth produced the previous year.
Pruning should consist of cutting out weak or dead stems as soon
as they are finished blooming in May or June.
Pruning later than June or very severe pruning will result in
fewer blooms the following spring.
The very popular Montana varieties fall into this group and even
though they will survive in our colder climates, if the tops are nipped
off by extreme frosts, blooms that should have occurred in early spring
might occur in the fall, if at all. Group (B)
Group B is broken down into two sub groups: Group B (1) –
are the varieties that flower on wood that has been hardened by the
previous season’s growth. Normal
blooming patterns for this group consist of a heavy flush of flowers
in May-June on the previous season’s growth followed by a second smaller
flush of blooms in September on the current season’s growth. Group B (2)
– are the varieties that bloom simultaneously on last year’s growth
and the current season’s growth.
Group B (2) varieties normally bloom from June to September continuously.
For pruning purposes these varieties can be treated either as
group B (1) or group C and for that reason work extremely well in combination
planting with group B (1) or group C varieties.
If planted alone a group C pruning regime every second year is
recommended. For both group B (1)
and B (2), in late February or March a light pruning with some variation
in the length of the stems will help produce a well balanced group B
plant. Any weak or dead
wood should be removed at this time and careful spacing of the remaining
stems is all that is required.
The spacing of the stems will allow room for next spring’s mass
of blooms to open pleasingly. A severe pruning will reduce the number of blooms at the plant’s
next flowering, but will not hurt the plant; in many cases it will help
produce a better-balanced plant.
If your group B clematis has been neglected for many years, it
can be rejuvenated by severely cutting back most of the old growth. Group C
These varieties bloom
only on the current year’s growth.
Blooms commence in early summer and continue through to fall.
Plants should be cut back in late February or March to two strong
sets of buds on each stem as close to ground level as possible.
This will provide a plant with blooms that start near ground
level and continue to the top of the plant.
The majority of the Group C clematis through a tree or have it
bloom in an area above its normal blooming height, this characteristic
can be used to your advantage.
You can prune an established plant at almost any height or not
prune at all to accomplish your objective.
Keep in mind that Group C clematis bloom on the current season’s
growth, so that if treated in an untraditional way the blooms will be
at the tip of the plant and bare stem will gradually appear over a few
years. This provides an opportunity to plant a lower growing group
B variety to hide the bare stem and to extend the blooming season.
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