Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 4.98
Prune clematis hard back to 30 to 20 cm from the ground before the first spring after planting. This will
stimulate plenty of new stems.
Most
clematis
are very frost-hardy, however,
adjust your pruning time if your climate is
extremely cold.
the growth to be spread through the entire
canopy rather than just one side.
Some clematis species are not pruned hard
every year as they provide a permanent
presence in the landscape and will not
rebloom within the same season.
Clematis
armandii
,
C. montana
and
C. cirrhosa
are
pruned just to keep within their allotted
space. The time will come when some
renovation will be necessary. There will be
plenty of old unproductive wood smothered
by newer growth.
If you are training your clematis through a
tree or shrub select some strong stems to grow
to the base of the canopy it is to grow
through. Prune off new growth to within a
few strong buds of these slender trunks at the
appropriate time. Secure the main stems/
trunks to their host plant with soft plant ties
as clematis stems are brittle and easily
damaged. This technique is best attempted
with clematis from Tables 4.21 and 4.22.
To avoid this problem, use a hedge trimmer
every two to three years to reduce the bulk of
the foliage. If left longer than this there may
be no alternative but to replant. However, if
they are pruned back to near the base of new
Clematis are deep-rooted plants so they can
be planted reasonably near the trunk of the
host plant. The climber's support trunks can
be wrapped around the tree trunk, allowing
