| I have a gorgeous Clematis that has been growing on a trellis. I had been letting it go and grooming it in the Spring, but last Fall I had a helper that cut it off at the ground. Even with that happening, it grew back wonderfully. Is a person supposed to cut it to the ground each year? |
| There are different groups of clematis which I don't fully understand. I do know that one group can be cut back hard and those are the ones I grow, mainly because all of mine grow inside of existing trees/shrubs so pruning them would be problematic. If yours was cut to the ground and did well, I would continue doing so. How easy is that for care. |
| There are different groups: Group 1 - Blooms in the early spring from buds that grew the previous season on old wood; this type does not die back in the winter (Unless you are growing it in a too-cold climate). Group 2 - Includes Clematis that reblooms...produce flowers on old wood in late spring to early summer, then bloom again on new wood in late summer to early fall. Group 3 - Blooms on new wood in the summer and the fall. Dies back to the ground in the winter. So to better answer your question we would need to know which Clematis you are growing. |
| If your clematis has smallish flowers in Spring it may belong to Group1 (Montanas, Macropetalas or Alpinas) in which case it doesn't really need cutting hard back . Large flowered , early summer varieties are cut back in late Winter, to just above new sprouting growth. Mid-late Summer flowering varieties (Viticellas) are cut down to around 6" above the ground in early Spring. Hope this helps |
| I don't cut mine to the ground but it often dies to the ground on its own. I don't understand the groups either. But if it dies to the ground, what's the use of even having groups? |
