Prune Clematis

How do I prune a Clematis?

How do I prune a Clematis? To properly prune a Clematis, it is important to know which variety you have. The species you own will determine when you should prune it. There are three different pruning groups that a Clematis can belong to; the first is the spring flowering Clematis which blooms on old wood. If you own this variety, it is best to prune the plant just after it flowers in summer. There is no need to give this type an annual prune. Just remove a quarter of the new shoots once a year, which also ensures the plant not becoming too sparse at its base. Do not be too vigorous when pruning this spring bloomer though, as they do not enjoy it. The early flowering (summer) Clematis blossom at the end of May until the beginning of June. Their blooms grow partly on old and new wood and are renowned for their beautifully large flowers. Stimulate growth of summer flowering plants by pruning back the offshoots to a healthy bud at the end of the winter. To promote the return of the blossoms, prune the shoots after flowering. The third and last group – the late bloomers – include the type of Clematis that are easiest to prune. These flowers bloom on new wood and are pruned by cutting the plant back to about fifteen to thirty centimetres above the ground at the end of the winter. Just take the whole bunch together in your hand and snip them off. You see, pruning a Clematis is not that difficult if you know which species or group it belongs too.