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Fence creeper, dead?

DiggyDiggersonDiggyDiggerson Posts: 16
in Plants
Hi all,

I inherited this creeper when I moved into a new house, and am not a knowledgable gardener so am not sure what it is. It's collapsed a lot in this middle section and any attempt to lift it makes me feel as if all of the thinner twigs and thicker branches are about to disintegrate. Is it dead? Should I chop it back a lot now or wait for a different time of the year after it's come back to life (if it will)? 

Thanks for any answers

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited January 2022
    I'd hazard a guess that it's a montana clematis, although it's hard to tell from the photo.
    If so, it flowers in spring, and sometimes a 2nd flush in autumn, and it looks like that through winter once the foliage is off. 
    They can be clipped back hard, which often helps if they need rejuvenation, but they're largely left to their own devices unless that's needed, or they've outgrown their space. 
    It looks like there's two there. They're very useful for covering big areas, buildings etc  :)

    Here's a link which will give you some info, and you can maybe take a close up of a section too, to confirm it or otherwise.  :)
    https://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/Clematis-montana/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DiggyDiggersonDiggyDiggerson Posts: 16
    @Fairygirl thanks for the reply! Really helpful :) I might chop it back a bit so it doesn't collapse under it's own weight (a problem for us all this time of year!)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    "so it doesn't collapse under it's own weight (a problem for us all this time of year!)"
    Speak for yourself.....
    mind you - those Matchmakers haven't helped :D

    It looks like the supports there just haven't been hefty enough - a few wires by the look of it, so it might be worth doing that and getting some better supports in place at the same time. Even some extra wires put in - around a foot apart all the way up, would be better. You can then tie in new growth horizontally which gives better coverage. They're heavy plants, and what seems to be there would barely be adequate for the smaller, lighter clematis varieties. 
    You could probably wait until it's flowered though - assuming it is a montana of course  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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