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Clematis pruning
Patiopansy
Posts: 32
Hello all,I've inherited 4 clematis and one evergreen honeysuckle in my very small garden. They all look really healthy, and I have given them a good top dressing of manure last month, but I've no idea how and when to prune them. There are no labels on any, but one had a very few (purple) flowers late this summer, if that helps.I know different species require different care, but where do I start? From what I have been able to find out, the late flowering one should be pruned in February - is this right? I don't think they are that well established, and were probably new last year.
Any help would be appreciated!
PP 
xx
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Posts
YOu are right. There are differe pruning rules for the 3 main clematis groups but as a general rule, any that flower before the end of June get a light pruneimmediately after flowering and those which flower later get pruned hard back in Feb or March dependig on whether it still freezing.
I suggest you prune the late purple one in early spring then give it a good handful of proprietary clematis food and another mulch. This will encourage it t prune new shoots which will flower later next summer. An occasional liquid feed of tomato or rose food will hep too.
For the others, wait and see when they flower. If they flower before the end of April they are likely to be group 1s which only get pruned to keep them to size and encourage new flowers lower down. Those which flower in May and June just need a light trim to remove dead heads after flowering. Given a good feed as above they will probably produce another flush of flowers in late summer.
All clematis are hungry, thirsty plants so feed in spring with a slow release food and mulch and then oaccasionally give a liquid feed as above. This works on roses too.
Honeysuckle don't need so much food and just need pruning to keep them to size.
Obelixx, what does Clematis feed contain, that a normal high potash feed does not? I just feed mine a general purpose feed in Spring and then high potash feeds regularly through the Summer
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Can't tell you till I buy some more next spring but they've done better on it than just with my usual pelleted chicken manure.
Thank you so much for this advice, really helpful. Have saved a copy of your reply, obelixx, so I can refer to it if (and when!) I forget.
Best wishes,
PP xx