Clematis advice

Csbartlett84

Hi all I have two clematis I planted last year. I left them over winter and haven't cut them at all. I have noticed now they are starting to have new green growth which is great as thought they were dead to be fair! Should I cut last year's growth back now or just leave it? And if I do cut back how far do I go? 
Thanks 
Claire 

BobTheGardener

We'll need to identify the type you have.  Can you remember their names?  If not, let us know when they flowered last year, the size and colour of blooms, and we should be able to make an educated guess as to the pruning group for you.

PS: a photo of them now may help.

Csbartlett84

Thanks Bob they are called ruby wedding and Guernsey cream. I planted them last may and they didn't flower much but did grow. I'll attach a pic in a sec 

BobTheGardener

Both of those are 'group 2' for pruning and are types suitable for large pots or containers.

The large early flowers will come from the buds you can see now.  To retain as many of those flowers as possible, start at the tip of each shoot and work backwards, until you find a pair of healthy buds and cut just above those.  Once you've done that, carefully train any longs shoots back into the supports/trellis etc., then remove any shoots you don't want.  Once the first flush of flowers are over, dead-head them and then train the new growth you will see into the framework.  Those new shoots will produce another flush of flowers later in the year (however, these types often just keep flowering all summer without a real break.)

Csbartlett84

Obelixx

Ruby Wedding is a group 3 for pruning texensis type clematis which means it does not climb naturally by twisting its leaves and stems round a support.  You will need to guide it.   Group 3 clematis can be pruned back to about 30cms in March then fed generously and it will re-grow and flower on new wood.  However, in my experience, texensis, especially young ones, appreciate being pruned back to just above the lowest bud instead.

Guernsey Cream is a group 2 which usually means it will produce a flush of flowers on old growth in about May/June.  You can then dead head it, prune if it's getting too big and feed it and it should produce another flush in late summer.   I find it easier tho to treat them as a group 3 and prune back to the lowest buds as above, feed generously and tie in the new stems as they appear.  It will then have a single, longer flowering period from late June and thru the summer.

If you have planted them together, treat both as group 3.

Either way, generous mulching in autumn, generous feeding in spring and regular watering thru dry spells will keep you clematis happy and flowering.

Csbartlett84

Csbartlett84

That's amazing advice thank you @BobTheGardener & @Obelixx 🙂 what would you recommend I use to feed them? 

Obelixx

Specialist clematis food or rose fertiliser or tomato feed - all in slow release form.  Occasional liquid feeds thru the growing season using tomato or seaweed feed.

BobTheGardener

As they are so young, they will benefit from being cut low, even if there are buds higher up which we can't see.  I would cut them as shown by the red lines below:

Here are the Taylor's links which may help too:

https://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/clematis-ruby-wedding.html

https://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/clematis-guernsey-cream.html