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clematis cartmanii avalanche

bbasford57HSTBPZobbasford57HSTBPZo Posts: 1
in Problem solving
For two or three seasons this plant which is growing west-facing trellis has performed very well albeit with slightly fewer flowers each time. Sadly it has now decided to slowly die back to the point where it needs drastic action. Can anyone tell me whether it would benefit or survive a fairly hard pruning to about 30-40cm

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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Have you fed it at all?  Clematis are hungry, thirsty plants and we've had a couple of hot summers with long dry periods which will stress it and if it's hungry too that would account for a reduction in flowers.

    It's a group 1 so you really only need to prune it after flowering finishes to maintain shape and size.  I'd wait till night time temperatures are warmer before giving it a drastic cut but you could take it back to higher healthy growth now to encourage new buds and stems to form lower down.   

    Whatever you do, give it a generous drink then a generous feed (slow release clematis, rose or tomato feed) and then a generous mulch.  Give it an occasional liquid feed of tomato fertiliser thru spring until mid summer.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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