Have I killed my clematis Montana?

hannah.grimsley

I cut back my clematis Montana yesterday after the last flowers began to die back. I checked for birds nests before cutting back. It has been there before we purchased the house 2 years ago and puts on a wonderful display of flowers but had grown to around 25ft tall, growing up neighbours property’s trees, 6ft across the fence and around 3ft out into my garden. Underneath this years growth was just dead ‘birds nest’ type wood and it was very untidy looking. I took advise to cut it ‘right down’ so that it will shoot for next year but I’m really worried looking at it that it’s now had it. Since hard pruning I have given it a feed and watered it but can anyone advise how often I should do this to give it a good chance? Thanks

Fairygirl

Don't keep feeding it - just water in dry spells and let it recover. It should sprout new growth in the  next few weeks. 
Some fresh compost, or organic matter of any kind, round the base now and again will help improve the soil conditions too. 

AnniD

I have cut my clematis Montana down to the ground twice in the last few years, and each time it has come back to life.
Watering is the main thing, as it's against the fence it will be in the rain shadow. Don't worry about feeding it.

hannah.grimsley

Thanks for your replies, I will put some compost on now and continue to water! 😃

AnniD

Let us know how it turns out 

Posy

We had to cut down one of these just as drastically and it shot up again without any attention at all!

Lyn

I cut ours down like that a few years ago, it’s back where it was now, no feed though.
it only gets watered when it rains , a plant that old and with trunks that big will be well rooted right down where the soil is wet.
Just walk away and leave it. 

hannah.grimsley

Thanks all 😃😃😃