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Pruning early flowering clematis

EnnylEnnyl Posts: 24
in Problem solving
The advice is to prune hard in Feb/March but a couple of mine are really starting to put out a lot of new growth now - suspect because of the mild January. Prune now (what my instinct is telling me) or wait? Thanks.

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    "early flowering clematis" are pruned AFTER they flower. Prune them now and you'll be cutting out the flowering growth. 
    Do you know which varieties you have?

    Devon.
  • EnnylEnnyl Posts: 24
    Raymond Evison - Clematis SAMARITAN JO™ 'Evipo018'
    This is the advice on pruning on the Raymond Evison website for this variety.
    I think I'll prune next weekend.

    Flowering:

    Early summer to mid autumn

    Site:

    Any aspect - may fade slightly in direct sun.

    Height:

    4-5 ft. (120-150cm)

    Pruning:

    Remove all top growth down to 6" (15cm) late winter/early Spring. Pictorial pruning guide

    Hardiness:

    Zones 4-9 USA, Fully Hardy in UK.

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
     Clematis SAMARITAN JO isn't an early flowering clematis, it's a group 3 one which flowers over several months to the autumn. That means you prune it hard in late winter to early spring. You can prune it now and it will make new growth from the ground when it gets going.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    The confusion seems to be about what we call early flowering. It's worth checking the variety for its group designation, as Busy-Lizzie implies.
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    edited January 2020
    Can confirm it a Group 3 clematis 
    i did have it in my garden and is a beautiful clematis 
    As already stated cut back basically to the lowest bud approximately 6” from ground level 
    I would also give it in early spring a sprinkle of blood fish and bone fertiliser and cover the base of the plant it with any type of bagged farm yard manure mulch 
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