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Clematis Montana minimal growth

toryadams1990edqMZEzRtoryadams1990edqMZEzR Posts: 6
in Plants
I have a well established clematis Montana which every year has thrived. This year however it is still a woody mess coming up to mid May. It is tiny leaves only on one side but minimal growth. Any ideas? 
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  • ObsessedPlantswomanObsessedPlantswoman Posts: 69
    Looks exactly like mine 😂

    am just about to cut it back down to the ground. I don’t seem to have green shoots though, and looking around I can see Everyone else’s Montana in full bloom!
  • toryadams1990edqMZEzRtoryadams1990edqMZEzR Posts: 6
    Ohh. Yeah it has a few shoots. Wondering if the weather has caused it. For years it’s thrived 
  • toryadams1990edqMZEzRtoryadams1990edqMZEzR Posts: 6
    As there’s a couple of shoots should I leave it and see what happens? 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Cut it right back,  it will make new growth from the ground if the roots haven’t died.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @pansyface,

    Could you just sever all the stems low down, but leave the "dried out rubbish" in situ for now? Once the birds have gone you can pull down the old stuff, and with luck you might have some new stems to replace them.

    Bee x
    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    There have been several posts from people whose clematis have suffered. My 2 are in a sorry state as well in Norfolk. It could be due to the hot dry weather in the summer as they are hardy in the cold.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The name montana derives from mountain. They're bone hardy, but the huge variations in weather conditions has had an effect in many areas. If you had the serious drought in summer, then mild wet and a freeze, it just gets them confused.
    I'd cut it back and make sure it isn't dried out over summer, and then cross your fingers that it returns well.
    Despite the two main freezes we had here, no montanas have been affected, and plenty are flowering just now, but we didn't have the severe drought last summer that other places had, despite it being our driest on record, and the winter was still milder than usual, although not as mild as the previous one.
    It's a combination of weather conditions that causes this kind of thing. Plants also adapt to the general climate of an area, so a sudden change to that is more problematic. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • toryadams1990edqMZEzRtoryadams1990edqMZEzR Posts: 6
    Yes we had 40 degrees C last summer. I have just cut a few stems on it and they are green inside so there’s hope. And random shoots. Still don’t know if I should leave it and see what happens 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd leave it for now and see how it goes. You can always cut it back later on if needed. It's difficult to see the picture well enough though.
    Alternatively, if you feel it's got a bit big for the space, it's an ideal time to give it a  haircut as it'll have time to make some new growth before winter, which will harden up well for next year.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I have four montana and 3 have been really slow this year to bud and they have very little flower compared to normal, the other has no signs of life at all. The heat last year didn't appear to bother them and they stayed green and healthy all summer.

    I'd be inclined to leave it like @Fairygirl mentions (very much the go to person for clematis advice). You still have some time to see if it buds out before you'd need to prune it to encourage new growth and flowers for next year.   
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