| Long ago I planted a corner grouping to hide an open view. A large yew then 2 different clematis (and a large trellis), with room between. I later added a small barberry beside the clematis to keep the dogs away. I need to prune and move the clematis to give it more sun. How and when should I do it? Thx. |
| Spring is the best time to move your clematis and you'll probably want to prune it back to make it easier to move. With that said, each type of clematis has its own preference when it comes to being pruned. After you've dug and transplanted your clematis, you'll want to maintain it with annual pruning. The earliest flowering clematis bloom on old wood, while later flowering types must produce new growth in order for flower buds to form. Group A: are early-flowering clematis. Plants in this group bloom in early spring, generally in April and May, from buds produced the previous season. Prune these plants immediately after flowering, but no later than the end of July. This allows time for new growth to produce flower buds for the next season. Remove shoots that have bloomed. You can prune out more vines to reduce the size or to form a good framework of branches, but avoid cutting into woody trunks. Plants in this group include: C. alpina, C. macropetala, C. armandii, C. montana and C. chrysocoma. Group B are large-flowered hybrids. These bloom in mid-June on short stems from the previous season's growth and often again in late summer on new growth, though these blooms are usually smaller. Prune these types in February or March by removing dead and weak stems, then cut back the remaining stems to the topmost pair of large, plump green buds. This cut could be a 6 inches to 18 inches from the stem tips. Plants in this group have the tendency to become leafless at the base as they mature. You can underplant with low, spreading perennials to help conceal the stems. You may be able to force a flush of new growth from the base by cutting the vine back to 18 inches immediately after the flush of bloom in June. Plants in this group include: 'Nelly Moser', 'Miss Bateman, 'Lasurstern', 'Duchess of Edinburgh, 'Mrs. Cholmondeley' and others. Group C: are late-flowering clematis and plants in this group flower on the last 24-36 inches of the current season's growth. Some types begin blooming in mid-June and continue into the fall. This is the easiest group to prune since no old wood needs to be maintained. In February or March cut each stem to a height of about 24-36 inches. This will include removal of some good stems and buds. Eventually the length of the bare stem at the base will increase as the vine matures. Plants in this group include: C. viticella, C. flammula, C. tangutica, C. x jackmanii, C. maximowicziana, 'Perle d'Azur', 'Royal Velours', 'Duchess of Albany' and others. Hope this information helps. |
