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Valued Contributor
Posts: 920
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Help with Clematis question.

Today I was walking the yard and noticed one of my clematis plants on a trellis has fallen completely down on the support. Another one in the yard is still up. I have never had this happen. I know that even though they look brown they always green up come spring. Will I hurt this plant to trim it back all the way down to the ground almost? I am in the midwest and we have been experiencing spring like weather for some time. Do not like to see the plants and grass greening up soon because we have lost plants and trees in the past from this happening when the freezing winter hits again in late Feb. or Mar.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,391
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

Last year we cleared out a flower garden that was kinda wild...there was a clematis there that had been growing crazy for years and years..well we cut it back to the ground and it grew and grew ....came back healthier than before...we cut it back in early spring which can be anytime here in SW Colorado from February till mid June with how crazy our weather is...I think it was March when we cleared out the flower garden last year...DW

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

I do not think it will hurt to cut the plant...I have done that with mine and I live in the midwest with sometimes brutal winters. I think, the plant grows from the ground up in the spring, not from what was not trimmed in the fall....if I am wrong, someone tell me!

Valued Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

We trim our clematis back every year and it comes back as good as new.

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

As long as you know the name of the clematis (Cultivar) you can google when to prune your clematis.Yes, sometimes string does disintegrate from clematis on trellises or obelisks.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Valued Contributor
Posts: 920
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

Thanks for giving me the courage to cut back that clematis. Think I will wait a few weeks and give it a good haircut.

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help with Clematis question.

Some clematis have to be cut down every year, others do not. If you cut it, you may lose bloom as they are due to bloom in a few months, but cutting it down will make it bushier.

Honored Contributor
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Re: Help with Clematis question.

Where else do folks grow a Clematis beside a mailbox post or a trellis? We aren't allowed a trellis (HOA) and we don't have mailboxes. But I love Clematis. I think they would bloom year round here in Fl.

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Re: Help with Clematis question.

On 2/11/2015 happy housewife said:

Where else do folks grow a Clematis beside a mailbox post or a trellis? We aren't allowed a trellis (HOA) and we don't have mailboxes. But I love Clematis. I think they would bloom year round here in Fl.

Do you have a flat garage wall or a shed? Strings could be strung across from end to end of the garage wall or shed wall at various intervals and then the clematis can be trained to grow on those strings.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
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Re: Help with Clematis question.

On 2/11/2015 JustJazzmom said:
On 2/11/2015 happy housewife said:

Where else do folks grow a Clematis beside a mailbox post or a trellis? We aren't allowed a trellis (HOA) and we don't have mailboxes. But I love Clematis. I think they would bloom year round here in Fl.

Do you have a flat garage wall or a shed? Strings could be strung across from end to end of the garage wall or shed wall at various intervals and then the clematis can be trained to grow on those strings.

Thanks