Overgrown Clematis

Treblegate

Hi,

I would very much appreciate your advice on how to tidy up and prune back a very large and overgrown clematis plant please? We purchased a property a number of years ago which have two varieties of clematis growing over a perimeter hedge. Both are beautiful plants and are in full bloom at the moment (May) but I am unsure of the actual varieties. 

Over the last two years the darker variety of clematis (wine coloured leaves) had become extremely unsightly - with large masses of tangled bare growth visible lower down. I think this may have resulted in part by damaged to the plant when electrical wires were being installed. The plant is also pushing further out in to the garden each year - but less of the stems are producing buds. I am extremely unsure of how and when to prune back this plant - particularly as some of the seemingly dormant vines still seem to have a small area of growth randomly appearing. I am anxious to restore the plant to its former self - but concerned I could do more damage than good if I attempt to cut back the older non producing stems. I actually have no idea where even to start the pruning process - or indeed when. Should I focus on the older growth down lower first?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks,

The Continental Op

WOW thats some job if you do it carefully. tbh most people wouldn't have the patience.

What you need to know with clematis is that you can't bend the stems. If you bend older wood into a new position it dies.

It looks like you have loads of dead wood in that which would take an age to carefully remove (I know I've done and its mind numbing).

What I would do is is find where its in the ground come up about 6 foot and cut everything off. Now would be a good time. If it branches out lower than 6 foot cut back to a frame work that comes out about 6ft from the base. Then tie what you are keeping into something. Add a couple of stakes if necessary so when you pull away the rest of it that you are getting rid of you don't move the stems you are keeping too much.

I would guess its some form of Clematis montana.

Edit> Note you won't damage Clematis montana from hard pruning but you will damage it if you let all the stems you are keeping flop around. The usual caveats of mulch well and fertilise with a good dose of Blood Fish and Bone apply (read the label). After a good pruning if you don't have home made compost I'd put a couple of bags of the cheapest Lidl type general purpose compost around the roots. Watering well wouldn't hurt either as the trees around will suck a lot of moisture out of the ground and clematis don't like to dry out.

Treblegate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119037669#Comment_119037669

Thanks so much for your help and advice. My initial feeling was to cut out the deadwood slowly - but my biggest concern has been I cannot identify which stems are actually dead? Or the impact of cutting a live stem? But you are right maybe cutting all out from six feet is the best approach

The Continental Op

Thats spot on. Its very difficult to work out what wood is dead and what isn't. A dead looking bit might be 20 foot long go all the way to the top come down make a couple of loops and have a load of flowers on the end. Lifes too short - fine when I was living on the job and paid but not something most people have time for, particularly when it will take hard pruning.

This sort of echos a lot of what I've said https://gardendoctor.org/pruning-a-clematis-montana-secrets-revealed/

blackbox

I agree that it's a clematis Montana of some sort.

They are very robust. You can hack it back as far as you like when it finishes flowering.

You can do this every year. It flowers on the new growth.

looksee

Lol, TCO gives detailed instructions on how to manage it. blackbox says You can hack it back as far as you like when it finishes flowering.

Both are correct of course, the difference made me smile!

I have 'hacked back' a clematis montana in the past and it came back fine.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119037916#Comment_119037916

One of the few plants where it's acceptable in the trade to use the word hack.

Important to do straight after flowering though and not later in the year, as the subsequent growth will carry next year's flowers

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119037992#Comment_119037992

The point I'd emphasize is that you need to make sure that what you are yanking at on at a plant that large is not twisted around or connected to any bits you want to keep. Its easy to get carried away and damage the bits you want to keep if you don't start with a plan. Cut into it without pulling anything away and cut the framework you want to keep then hack away at your leisure.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119038411#Comment_119038411

Don't disagree in theory but as you said yourself above trying to ascertain where particular stems go with a montana would break your heart.

For me it's one of those where you cut it back to where you want it to be, and whatever regrows grows.

Treblegate

Thank you all for your help. Very much appreciated. I have a big job ahead of me

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119039514#Comment_119039514

If just cutting it all back to a uniform height, you'll find it's not, as gardening jobs go, a big job.

The Continental Op

Half the job is dealing with the clean up.