If you need a little bit of help when it comes to clematis pruning, you've come to the right place. We have prepared the complete guide for pruning clematis, so that you can stay on top of these popular bursts of colour, to ensure they are healthy and always look their best - a nice spread of flowers with no tangling. That's what we're aiming for.
Pruning clematis is actually quite simple, just as long as you know a few things, and that's where we come in. By the end of this blog, you'll know exactly when and how to prune you clematis plants.
When to prune clematis
We'll start with when - but we can't do that without mentioning the three different clematis pruning groups. Which clematis pruning group yours are in all depends on when your clematis flowers. Let's look at each one:
Group 1 clematis - early flowering
There's a rhyme that can help you here: "if it flowers before June, there is no need to prune".
Group 1 clematis will start to flower in winter or early spring, and they require little or no pruning, just a bit of a tidy up after they've flowered, to remove some winter-damaged shoots. If the clematis vines are taking over your garden, however, you should think about cutting them back. A good example of these low-maintenance group 1 clematis is clematis alpina.
Group 2 clematis - large-flowered
The second group of clematis is easy to spot - they have large flowers that you'll start to see in early summer, and then a second flush of flowers later. Like this pink coloured clematis. They don't require much pruning, but the best time to give them a light prune is in late February to early March. Your main aim will be to remove damaged or dead stems.
Group 3 clematis - late flowering
Group 3 clematis are late flowering clematis, like this Princess Diana clematis, so you won't see their blooms until late summer. The best time to prune these is in the late winter. They just require being cut back every year so that they produce new healthy buds.
How to prune clematis
Before you start pruning clematis, you need to make sure you have the correctcutting tools for the job. The most reliable tool to use is a good set of secateurs. There are two main types of secateurs -bypass secateurs, which are scissor-action with two blades, andanvil secateurs, which have one sharp blade that uses a chopping action. Bypass are better to prune lightly, with accuracy, whereas anvil are better for removing large, dead growth.
To prune clematis, which tends to involve mainly light pruning, you will probably find that bypass secateurs are perfect for the job. Just make sure your blades are nice and sharp.
You may find that a pair ofloppers will also come in handy, with the extended reach and ability to cut through some of the thicker or multiple stems. Finally, a pair of good qualitygardening gloves will make the whole process much more comfortable and enjoyable.
Now, in order to cover the specifics of how to prune clematis, we're going to split them up into the different pruning groups again:
Pruning group 1:
These early flowering clematis are low-maintenance, so the only need to focus on is removing the winter-damaged stems and the flowers that are declining in the late winter or early spring. You may find that every few years you want to cut it back, just to thin it out a bit, so aim to cut around 15 cm above the base of the plant. Remember to add mulch in the dryer months to encourage healthy new growth.
Pruning group 2:
When you are pruning this group of clematis, again around the early spring but this time it is before they flower, you need to focus on removing any dead or weak stems - seek out the buds and cut just about them. You don't want to cut the main stem, just the offshoots.
This type of clematis flower on new, short shoots which are produced from the stems of last year. You may be able to encourage the stems to flower again later in the summer by lightly pruning in the early summer, just wait for the first flowers to finish blooming, and then repeat what you did earlier in the year.
Pruning group 3:
Group 3 clematis take a bit more effort to get going, but less when it comes to pruning. Because they grow back very strong, you can be a bit more ruthless when you prune! Cut them right back in the spring, around 30-45 cm from the ground, making sure you remove anything that is dead above that. You may want to keep a few longer remaining stems so that you get flowering at different heights.
While pruning is simple with these late blooming clematis, it's the most important. It's a vigorous grower, so left unpruned it could end up tangled and a bit messy.
Newly planted clematis
Just a quick note on what to do in that first year after you plant a clematis - the best thing to do is cut it right back in that first spring, just above the leaf buds. Then, when growth begins, you'll see stems coming through.
Pruning clematis montana
Clematis montana is one of the most popular clematis varieties, and for good reason - this type of clematis produces wonderful foliage as well as flower, making them a beautiful feature in your garden all year round.
It is in pruning group 1 - the early flowering clematis, which means that it doesn't need regular pruning, just a bit of cutting back after flowering in the Spring. Look to cut it back a bit more every few years to keep it in shape.
Should you deadhead clematis
We often get asked if you should deadhead clematis flowers. Deadheading is when you remove dead or fading flowers from your plants to keep them tidy and encourage more flowers to grow. Many people don't see deadheading as an important part of clematis care, and while it's true that your plant will survive without it, these people may be missing a trick...
If you were to deadhead clematis at the right time, you may be rewarded with fresh blooms later in the season. The early flowering types will see the most benefit from deadheading.
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you all the knowledge you need to prune clematis confidently. If you are looking to get started, you canshop our clematis plants here - we have a huge selection for you to choose from. If you need any more help with clematis care and pruning, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
