Confused , i have read it should be cut to 6" above ground in spring , looked at Thompson Morgan site ,and Taylor clematis site. However now you have said different sites seem to say different pruning , help what should i do , has anybody planted one and what did they do
Sorry for duplicating the link to website Clematis on the Web. This entry is copied from the International Clematis Register and shows that clematis General Sikorski belongs to the Early Large Flowered Group, also known as Group 2, and flowers on old wood so should not be pruned hard in Spring.
However, you can grow this cultivar as Group 3 which will mean that it needs chopping hard back in Spring and will flower later, producing smaller but many more flowers.
Agree with Richard but you should remove the ends of the stems if they are obviously dead next spring. In late February, start at the very tip and follow down the stem until you see a healthy looking pair of buds and cut just above those. Young group 2 clematis can also be cut back to the lowest pair of buds, especially if the stems are very weak and spindley like you often get on the ones sold in supermarkets etc. This will encourage them to grow new stems from below ground level which will give you better plants in the long run.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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General Sikorski is actually an Early Large Flowered Group clematis and should not be pruned.
Confused , i have read it should be cut to 6" above ground in spring , looked at Thompson Morgan site ,and Taylor clematis site. However now you have said different sites seem to say different pruning , help what should i do , has anybody planted one and what did they do
http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=19
-- http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=19
Sorry for duplicating the link to website Clematis on the Web. This entry is copied from the International Clematis Register and shows that clematis General Sikorski belongs to the Early Large Flowered Group, also known as Group 2, and flowers on old wood so should not be pruned hard in Spring.
However, you can grow this cultivar as Group 3 which will mean that it needs chopping hard back in Spring and will flower later, producing smaller but many more flowers.
Agree with Richard but you should remove the ends of the stems if they are obviously dead next spring. In late February, start at the very tip and follow down the stem until you see a healthy looking pair of buds and cut just above those. Young group 2 clematis can also be cut back to the lowest pair of buds, especially if the stems are very weak and spindley like you often get on the ones sold in supermarkets etc. This will encourage them to grow new stems from below ground level which will give you better plants in the long run.
Thanks everybody for all your advice.
Correct, Bob, that is also the reason that Group 3 clematis should be planted deep, so that the new stems form below ground.