Clematis: to prune or not to prune?

[mazza]

Hi :)

I cannot express how totally incompetent I am in the garden, so here's a question... :lol:

I have a clematis montana and at the moment it has no leaves on it so it's just a huge woody, snaky mass. I was wondering if I should cut it back now before it starts to bud again otherwise it will be so huge and get everywhere with this year's growth (won't it? :unsure: ) . It's totally unruly so I was thinking I had better cut it now before all the leaves come or will I damage the plant? Have I left it too late? :unsure:

Thanks!

[Omega]

Hi Mazza

I am no expert either but I did find this information and perhaps it may help your dilemma :lol: I think you need group A info...

http://clematisnursery.com/Pruning.aspx

Hope it helps ;)

[Annabel]

just go for it mazza, it will be ok if you give a prune now, i think.:cool:

[mazza]

Thanks Omega for the link & Annabel too, I noticed it said to prune it in Spring so that has made me feel a bit better about having a crack at it :) . I'm just worried it will become totally out of control if I don't cut it back now. I know my NFH must be spitting fire over it as a few sprigs have gone her way now... :rolleyes: .

I am so utterly clueless in the garden, I can't tell you how incompetent I am! :lol:

[Annabel]

let the awld biddy have some fun clipping the tendrils that come over your side then, can just imagine her joy at being able to attack your plant with venom.....:lol:

[FlamingKaty]

Hi Mazza,

Depends how desperate you are to cut it back really. If you prune it now you will lose all this years flowers :(. If you prune it straight after flowering then you will have the benefit of this years display and it will have ample time to put on new growth for next years display too :D.

FlamingKaty

[Isis]

Hiya Mazza

I have paged the oracle, or to eveyone else my NN (Nice Neighbour) :lol: she said to tell you that the commone name for this type of clematis is "a mile a minute" because that is how it grows and she said yes :yes: cut it back now.

Good luck.

[mazza]

Thanks again, I really appreciate the replies as I am so clueless! :lol:

So ...Will I lose the flowers this year then definitely if I cut it now?? :unsure: . I am v fond of the flowers so I guess I don't mind waiting until they've finished. So if I do wait, can I cut it as soon as the flowers have faded?

Mind you, it all depends on my energy levels as it's going to be a hard job for me (and my lads are all too short still to reach it !). So it may end up not being cut at all at this rate! My mind is willing, but my body is weak! :lol:

[sp54]

I am hopeless wannabee gardener :lol:

I do know some flowering shrubs can be pruned any time, but most are best pruned after flowering :huh:

Being a total numpty on all things green and flowery I tend to air on the 'prune after it has flowered' side :rolleyes:

Mind you - Charlie Dimmock I ain't :rolleyes::huh:

[FlamingKaty]

Hi Mazza,

Yes, it flowers on the previous years growth so you will lose this years flowers if you cut now unless it's just a very light trim - even then you'll probably lose a good few. If you cut as soon as the flowers fade, it will put on plenty of new growth over the summer which will support next years flowers, although there may be less of them than usual. Try and pinch out the tips of new growth to keep it bushy lower down and don't cut it back too hard as they have been known to turn up their toes - a good slow release feed after pruning will help. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails eating the juicy new shoots - that what did for mine after I cut it back!

FlamingKaty

[gjgilly]

i too have a problem with clematis, so help/advice needed -please

mine was put in last year, was originally in a pot from garden centre, and last year it was fine, climbed and flowered.

now? it is a flowerless climbing stick with old leaves (brown) so do I cut it back to the ground, or try and pick the dead leaves off. I broke a bit to see if it was dead but it isnt, so i guess dormant.

irratating issue is - if i have to cut it back to ground every year it will never get to pergola height and it was bought as its a 15ft-20ft one :(

have told next door to stop their cats climbing my trellis, f off was their response.so is it being trashed by their cats, if so what can i do to stop them? was thinking of under planting wooden carpet gripper around the baseof trellis so when cats stepon the upturned gripper nails they'll go 'ouch' and hopefully go and find other trellis to climb.

really annoyed by this and the neighbours cats, they want to climb trellis to get on their owners shed felt, but are trashing all my plants by the fence and maybe my clematis - its called princess diana.

what can i do to stop cats, and also do that wont anger neighbour - even though they are rude and dont car.cats are supposed to be wanderers, but at what point does a pet owner have to be responsible for what its pet destroys.

if the cat gets injured on my garden eg grippers, am i liable ?

[FlamingKaty]

Hi gjgilly,

I have Princess Diana too - it's a late flowering one with small bell-like flowers not the big ones - is this the one? If it is, unfortunately it's one of those you're supposed to hard prune every spring as it flowers on the current years growth. If you don't prune it hard it just gets very tall and lanky and bare at the base with the flowers right at the top.

You need to be very careful with the carpet gripper as I am pretty sure you would be liable for injury to the cats. There's little you can do to stop the cats climbing the trellis or destroying your plants - the owners cannot be held liable as cats are regarded as domesticated wild animals. A safer option would be to try the Prikka strip stuff as this won't cause injury. The only effective solution to cats I have found is the Scarecrow - you attach it to a garden hose and a sensor triggers when an animal passes, spraying them with water. You do have to be careful you remember it's on otherwise you will get soaked, as will the neighbours passing by on the other side of the trellis 'though!!

FlamingKaty

[gjgilly]

hi - yes its a princess diana with pink bells, and is all twiggy at the bottom, then half dead like and a few shoots at the top now approx 4ft.

i guess i have nowt to loose if i just cut it to below the dead stuff and then see what happens.lets face it, it can only die completely :( but then it will be my fault not the cats:mad:

but hey, thanks for that, at least i can take matters into my own hands and then the blame lies with me, a fairer option as it then stops possible grief/agro with nfh and his cats. have had cats myself by the way, and feel bad as we never gave a thought as to what they did when wandering, but we never let them out til they used a litter first as we have been aware of toxaplasma(?) from when i was preg - so have always been abit responsible. just thought i'd add that. sadly kitty died at 14yrs and we did not replace as we didnt think he was replaceable, so hence the new anger to cat damage not cats themselves.

gosh i must sound like a real nutter:eek: