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Clematis Nelly Moser Pruning

david.green665371530david.green665371530 Posts: 1
in Plants
Dear gardeners, last year I planted this clematis Nelly Moser and I think I should be pruning now. This will be its first prune. I was planning to prune to 30cm from the ground, but the new growth that has appeared recently has led me to question this. Any advice on pruning height would be very welcome. Many thanks, David. 
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited 18 February
    Hi @david.green665371530 - the first thing you need to do is get some supports attached to the wall, and undo all the ties on the plant. Then you can carefully train the stems along the wires/trellis so that you'll get good coverage. 
    You can still prune back to around 30cm - that's normal, and it's standard that there's new growth this early - the very mild weather we're getting regularly at this time of year prompts lots of plants to grow sooner. I never really prune before about April, but that's because we get a lot of winter weather through March and April.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I am a lot further south than @Fairygirl and I prune clematis in February. Nelly Moser is group 2 so I would prune fairly lightly now down to a healthy bud and cut out any dead or weak stems. Yours is young and you want it to make new shoots so I think I would prune off the top third. Then after it has flowered prune it again to fat healthy buds to encourage a second flowering.

    If you live in Scotland it may be different but there are good shoots on your clematis so I'm guessing you are further south!
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I had one against a north facing wall in my Belgian garden and always treated it as a group 3, pruning hard in March, because so few stems and buds survived the winters.   If yours is shleterd and has buds then prune back to the highest buds on each stem.   Either way, give it a generous feed of slow release clematis, rose or tomato feed.

    I agree with @Fairygirl about releasing it from those wee canes and the plastic ties and giving it a good support structure so you can train the new stems as horizontally or diagonally as possible to get greater wall coverage and loads more flowers.

    You can give it a good, sturdy trellis panel attached to battens on the wall or else tensioned wires stretched between vine eyes screwed into the wall in horizontal rows about 30cms apart.   
    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
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I should have clarified about the pruning @Busy-Lizzie!
    Having said that - I've always thought it was a Group 3.Not a variety I'd ever have as I don't like pastel colours, but my sister has one, and I'm sure she cuts it back hard each year.
    It's newly establsihed, or establishing, so it could certainly be cut back quite ar to encourage those new shoots from below soil level though - it's just about the timing of it though, so it would help to know the location of the OP   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    The RHS and Thorncroft say it's Group 2.

    I didn't mention supports and undoing the ties because Fairygirl had already mentioned them. That will need doing.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    @Fairygirl when grown out of direct sun and well fed, Nelly Moser keeps a good strong colour in that central bar.  I paired mine with a Rahvarinne and they looked great together.
    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
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I just don't like it @Obelixx - never have done  :)
    Like a lot of things, my sister likes totally different colours from me - I only like whites, or darker purples/pink or the deep reds like Niobe [one of my faves] but she loves pastels and  pale pinks. 
    Hers is on a shady fence, but I can't remember how it looks - not been over there for a while. 
    I sometimes wonder if I'm actually related to her.... ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    But it is white with a deep purpley pink bar @Fairygirl!

    I do agree about stronger colours tho and use pastels to offset deeper colours such as my Jackmanii Superba which I grow with a Pilgrim climbing rose.
    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
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've never seen it with that dark a stripe - it's always been pink, regardless of whether it's in a GC, nursery or garden!
    Not keen on the bi-colour thing anyway, unless it's subtle.

    I'm very fussy @Obelixx - but it's  just the way my brain works.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    That's OK.   I like the way your brain works @Fairygirl .   We can't all like the same things or see beauty in the same colour combos.  That would be too dull.
    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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