Crosswords1 min ago
Clematis
I have a clematis that is a single narrow bare stem of 8 feet before it branches into leaf and flower. Is there a way I can make it sprout more from the lower stem. I feel that if I cut it off at the woody section it won't regrow.
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by Prudie. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Hol dit...HOL DIT! If your clematis is a Group 2, as you indicate...don't prune it! Group 2's always bloom on old wood. If you prune the old wood... exactomatic! No blooms... There are actually 2 sub groups to this 'family' of clematis... the only difference being that 2a blooms in the spring and then again in the fall whereas 2b blooms in the spring and the intemittently thorughout the summer.
Clematis are hardy and difficult to kill off .... out winters here in the western U.S. regularly reach low temperatures of -25 degrees F and still all three varitals flourish.
By the way... if you'll wait until the fall and the plant has stopped blooming, you could cut it back then, but don't expect much next spring, but the benefit will be blooms lower on the stem each succeeding spring and summer...
Best of luck!
Clematis are hardy and difficult to kill off .... out winters here in the western U.S. regularly reach low temperatures of -25 degrees F and still all three varitals flourish.
By the way... if you'll wait until the fall and the plant has stopped blooming, you could cut it back then, but don't expect much next spring, but the benefit will be blooms lower on the stem each succeeding spring and summer...
Best of luck!
Correct , but not all type 2 will only flower once ; )
Sounds like the problem is light, however. You may always have a problem with lack of growth low down and staggly stems near the base.
I take it it's not a vigorous grower then?
Where it normally shoots out/flowers is a particularly sunny part in the tree?
Sounds like the problem is light, however. You may always have a problem with lack of growth low down and staggly stems near the base.
I take it it's not a vigorous grower then?
Where it normally shoots out/flowers is a particularly sunny part in the tree?
I have loads of clematis, some in pots, some in the garden. A couple of group 3 but mostly group 2. Once they have finished flowering, I leave them overwinter as they are. OK, they look dead and straggly but then it is easy to see the new buds which start to develop in spring. Late Feb early March, prune them back lightly. Find a nice fat pair of buds and cut them to just above that bud. It is only group 3 clematis which require harder pruning. You need to feed them when they are growing with Tomorite or Phostrogen to encourage flowering, until they bud and flower, then stop feeding. In Autumn, a good mulch of well rotted manure or general fertiliser to the ground around the root. Mine seem to thrive on this treatment and all have lots of fat flower buds ready to pop open even as I type. I also agree with Albags that it probably needs more light. Good luck, they are lovely climbers
Hi prudie, Must say I also have clematis (that links partly through my Wisteria) and that had very tenuous sickly stem of about 7/8 foot before great flowering stems and I mistakenly one year broke the stem when it was 'sleeping' (thinking it was a weed) and guiltily hid the evidence.... Now to my surprise I have 4 lovely shoots up and all in bud (about 8ft high), so acording to everyone else I am an expert gardener!!! I wonder if this is what they mean by Get your enemies to prune for you?
Hi Julia, accidentally breaking the main stem was something I was worrying about but coincidentally with your post last year I did exactly that to another clematis at ground level when weeding in hurry. Not an hour ago I was in the garden and thought 'what's that?' and am pleased to say it has about 6 shoots all coming from the ground where I broke it!
