Clipping the Clematis – a guide to proper pruning
- Author Joshua Ellison
- Published February 20, 2012
- Word count 646
Clematis are one of the most beautiful, versatile and, subsequently, popular additions to the British garden. Due to their ability to grow vertically on walls and trellis, in containers, or horizontally entwining with other plants and shrubs, it is no surprise that, once you have this cultivar established, you should want to maintain and ensure its growth for years to come.
There are many reasons for regularly pruning your clematis, not the least of which is their aesthetic, which will be greatly diminished by a lack of maintenance - without trimming the stems and shoots would grow tangled and bare and the majority of the plant’s beautiful flowers would begin blooming well above eye level. Aside from this, some varieties of Clematis can also be mildly invasive, so severe negligence could lead to the suffocation and demise of other less vigorous species in the garden.
There are basically three main groups when it comes to pruning:
Group One
Group one Clematis’ flower in the spring and consist of those varieties generally possessing the lightest foliage and smallest blooms, although this is more than made for by their numbers. This group includes varieties such as ‘montana’, ‘macropetala’ and ‘alpina’ and all are characterized by flowers that bloom on the growth of the previous year. Only if necessary, pruning should occur immediately after the season’s flowering has finished, to remove any spent flowers that might inhibit future growth. Leave it any later than this and you won’t get any flowers next year. However the older, thicker wooded stems of the plants can be cut back with abandon, ideally to just a couple feet above their base. It may take some time for the plant to recover, however, and you should allow a year for newer flowers to show through, if they do not, assume that the stems were too old to rejuvenate and begin planting a new specimen.
Group Two
These cultivars are generally comprised of large, showy blooms and flower from late spring to early summer. They include varieties such as the striped ‘Nelly Moser’ and the beautifully double ‘Vyvyan Pennell’, and sometimes produce a second flourish later on in the year. It is best to prune this group at the end of February or start of March by cutting them back by about two thirds, or to around a metre high, just above the bud ideally, but you can always start at the top of the plant and work your way down in order to ensure precision. The new shoots of this season will sprout from of those of the previous growths and so it is essential you be consistent with your pruning to ensure healthy growth year by year.
Group Three
The pruning method and timing for group three is similar to group two, except that, as they flower later, you can be a bit more severe - all the stems should be trimmed to pairs of plump buds around 30cms above the soil. Type three clematis varieties include ‘viticella’, ‘orientalis’ and ‘tangutica’.
A philosophy that is indiscriminate from one pruning group to the other, however, is the necessity of your initial maintenance - if the plant is a new addition i.e. it is without a few well established stems then it should be pruned thoroughly regardless of its variety to about 30cms above ground level. This will encourage multiple stems which can be trained in to supports to give a good distribution of flowers. If you wish to structure the plant vertically in an independent position it is important that you provide continuous support to the stems with canes or obelisks.
So, you see it’s not really complicated. Look after your Clematis and you can be rewarded with masses of colourful blooms throughout the year as, with careful selection, you can have a clematis in flower whatever the season.
Written by Joshua Ellison of Floral & Hardy Gardens, who are experts at Garden Design Sevenoaks
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- How To Lay Pavers
- How Regular Tree Maintenance Can Actually Save You Money
- What to Put in the Bottom of a Raised Garden Bed
- Free Lawn Service for the Elderly: A Pensive Solution for Our Seniors
- 10 Things to Look for in Coco Peat Suppliers
- Making the Most of Your Garden This Summer: Growing Herbs and Spices
- Lawn Weeds That Are Common In Your Lawn
- Sparkle and Shine: Expert Tips for Effortless Household Cleaning
- Cost-Effective Gardening: Tips for Enhancing Your Garden on a Budget
- Ornamental Grasses: Low Maintenance, High Impact
- Succulents and Sweetness: Crafting the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift
- A Day of Serenity and Joy: My Encounter with the Hanging Egg Chair
- GROWING AND NURTURING THE DURIAN FRUIT TREE
- WHAT IS UHMW? UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene)
- The Art of Container Gardening: Growing Plants in Small Spaces
- garden lawn edging and mulch paint
- Medical Gardening
- 7 Tricks and Tips for Starting Your Own Backyard Garden
- Bring the Tropics to Your Home: A Guide to Calathea Plants
- The future of reforestation efforts: trends and strategies
- What do you want to build in your backyard?
- The Importance of Tree Service
- Expert Advice For Tree Service
- Plant. Prune. Preserve.
- How To Get Rid of Gypsy Moth Caterpillars
- ”She Shed” Design Ideas for the Modern Woman
- How to Use an Electric Paint Sprayer?
- Identifying a dangerous tree in your garden
- The Best Options For Front Yard Trees
- Advantages of Gardening for Seniors