Pruning

Pruning encourages branching and helps develop more plentiful blooms. It should be accomplished between the end of February to the beginning of April. Pruning later than April will result in a delay of blooming.

Prune with sharp garden shears, 0.5-1 cm above the set of two healthy leaf buds. Always remove all withered leaves and either whole stems or just the parts that died down (e.g. because of freezing).

During the first year all clematis should be cut not higher than 30 cm from the base, to encourage the growth of new stems at the base of the vine. Similar, or even better result can be obtained by laying the stems flat on the ground and covering them with mulch, just as you did when planting clematis. It will foster the strength of the plants and thus ensure better flowering and higher immunity to diseases. In subsequent years, pruning depends on the variety and the season in which it blooms. (refer to the last column in a catalogue chart and drawing 1 and drawing 2).

When it comes to pruning, clematis can be roughly divided into three groups, which we’ll call
1 (none), 2 (light) and 3 (hard).

Notice: By December 2004 we have adopted an international classification of clematis pruning groups. Pruning group 1 corresponds to the former group C, group 2 to the former group A, group 3 to the former group B.