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Montana

zakzakzakzak Posts: 178
in Plants
I have a Montana clematis. Which has hundreds of flower buds on but the base of the plant is very woody almost white. Has is the branches. It's roughly three yrs old and has never had a major cut back. Is this the problem. I'm a learner gardener so any help is greatly received.

Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would cut back after flowering - end of June.
  • zakzakzakzak Posts: 178

  • zakzakzakzak Posts: 178
    When you say cut b'day. Is that cut b'day virtually to the ground.
  • zakzakzakzak Posts: 178
    Sorry about that. When you say cut back. Is that cut back virtually to the ground.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You can cut it back to about where the top of that fence on the right is. Then keep training new growth horizontally so that you get good coverage along that trellis. Then, in future, you can just trim any bits that get out of hand, or just tie them in.  It's probably best to wait until the flowers are done, so that you can enjoy them, as @Fire says.

    Montanas will cover a really big  area once established, but they will just go 'straight up' if allowed. New foliage and flowers will grow from all the old wood.
    Nothing to worry about with the  colour of the main stems/branches  :)

    It's planted very tight into that corner though, so it would benefit it to have a good watering, and a mulch. A slow release food after cutting back will also be beneficial.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • zakzakzakzak Posts: 178
    Thanks for the comments. Now I know what to do with it. 
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