When is the right time to prune clematis vines?
Different pruning techniques are called for when it comes to the clematis. This vine is in a very diverse group which has different growth rates and seasons of bloom. If you are unsure how to prune your clematis, watch its flowering pattern for a year, then follow these basic guidelines. 1. If clematis blooms before June, it’s blooming on last year’s growth. Light pruning to tidy the vine’s appearance is all that is needed. If the vine has outgrown its space, prune it back immediately after flowering. 2. Varieties and species that bloom in summer or fall are blooming on the current year’s growth. Prune them mercilessly in the early spring to within 8 or 12 inches of the ground. 3. A third group is harder to pin down; it forms flower buds on both old and new growth, so blooms appear first in the spring and again later in the season. Thin out stems and snip back lightly in early spring to control the vine’s size. 4. In all cases, dead stems should be removed at pruning time. Remember tha
