| With so many varieties available, Clematis is | | | | year. However, it's really rather simple to know |
| rapidly becoming one of the most popular | | | | when to prune based on when your vine blooms. |
| flowering vines in America. It's an easy plant to | | | | The supplier of your plant should know which of |
| care for, and the rewards are amazing. Most | | | | these three groups your plant falls into, or you |
| Clematis are vigorous growers and prolific | | | | can determine it by watching and noting when in |
| bloomers, and with so much variety available, | | | | the year your Clematis blooms. |
| there is really no better flowering vine for adding | | | | Clematis vines that bloom in the spring |
| amazing vertical elements to a garden. Growing | | | | (sometimes called "Group 1 Clematis") start to set |
| Clematis is not, however, something to get into | | | | buds in the fall, and will only bloom on the previous |
| without any knowledge at all. These few tips can | | | | year's growth. Thus, to prune without losing any |
| be all you need to make growing Clematis in your | | | | flowers, cut the vine back shortly after it is done |
| garden an easy, rewarding experience. | | | | blooming for the year, but before it starts to get |
| The first thing to keep in mind when choosing and | | | | ready for the following year. Prune slow-growing |
| planting your Clematis vine is that it is not a plant | | | | vines carefully, but quick-growing varieties can |
| that blooms immediately. They can take as long | | | | often be pruned vigorously. Try to stay away |
| as three years before their first serious show of | | | | from very old wood on the vine, though, as it is |
| blooms. This puts a lot of new growers of | | | | less likely to recover from being cut. |
| Clematis off, but the solution is relatively simple. | | | | Plants that bloom in the summer or fall ("Group 2 |
| Hunt around and find a supplier that sells more | | | | Clematis"), on the other hand, set buds on new |
| mature plants. A healthy vine that is two years | | | | growth each year. These are best pruned while |
| old will often bloom fully the year after being | | | | dormant or when they're just coming out of |
| planted. These are more difficult to find, but it is | | | | dormancy. Most Group 2s can be pruned |
| worth it to search them out. Plants in gallon | | | | drastically, back to about a foot or two tall, or |
| containers do well, as do bare root plants that are | | | | they can be pruned lightly to maintain plant size. |
| dormant. The old adage for planting Clematis is | | | | Group 3 Clematis are the most difficult to |
| "feet in the shade, head in the sun." This isn't | | | | determine pruning time. These are repeat |
| really necessary, though. The only problem with | | | | bloomers. Because they bloom in multiple seasons, |
| planting Clematis in sunny soil is that the plants | | | | you'll most likely lose some flowers whenever you |
| generally prefer moist soil, so mulch well for | | | | prune. The best way to determine when to cut |
| moisture retention and your plant should thrive.n | | | | back is to watch the plant to find out when the |
| Almost all Clematis will start to produce diminished | | | | most impressive show is. If it blooms more |
| shows after several years without prunig. | | | | impressively in the spring, cut it back just after |
| Clematis pruning is also important just to keep the | | | | the show. If it does better later, cut it back in the |
| vine from eventually overgrowing your garden. A | | | | spring. Either way, do not cut it back as drastically |
| common problem that inexperienced gardeners | | | | as either of the other groups. Cut back lightly to |
| have is knowing when to prune their Clematis. It | | | | spur new growth or shape the vine, but do not |
| seems complicated, because different types of | | | | cut it all the way back. |
| Clematis require pruning at different times of the | | | | |