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Need advice on Clematis hard cutback

lisagdaylisagday Posts: 2
in Problem solving
I have a very old +15 years Clematis Montana in my garden which has probably not been properly pruned for a long time. It’s bare up to eye level and it’s so heavy that the trellis has collapsed. If I cut it back to replace the trellis will it come back and when is a good time to do so? 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    They nearly always come back, even if cut right to the ground (best to leave a framework of stems if you can though.)  The best time for pruning montanas is straight after flowering, but that's recommended so you lose as few flowers as possible next year.  In this case, I'd hack it back quite hard now - trellis isn't cheap but new montanas are, and they grow fast! :);)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • lisagdaylisagday Posts: 2
    That’s great, thanks for your advice Bob 👍
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