Advice on a crispy clematis please - cut my losses?

Nollie

This is a new this year Group 3 clematis, Etoile Violette. It was going great guns and flowering well until an early hideous heatwave hit, temps nudging 40c. I watered and watered and then some, but it made no difference. The stems may still be alive - they still seem to be firmly attached to the roots - but there is no sign of new growth at the base.

Should I just cut it right down to a foot or so?
If so, with no top growth to support, I’m unsure of how much to keep watering it to keep it alive without drowning it?

The green growth on the left belongs to a wisteria btw..

AnniD

I have a clematis "Corinne" that has done the same thing. It's growing in a pot and to be honest l'm not sure if it's down to erratic watering or clematis wilt, but l have cut it right back to ground level and given it a feed.
I think cutting it right back is the best thing to do tbh.

Nollie

Hi @AnniD, so by feeding it after cutting are you hoping to encourage new growth and maybe reflowering this year or is feeding necessary to just keep it going?

I want to keep it alive but probably not encourage it to grow vigorously again this year as it’s barely got it’s roots in the ground, poor thing!

AnniD

I'm hoping to encourage new growth so that l can confirm that it isn't dead, (the inside of the stems were green) and just to put my mind at rest. I probably won't feed it again, it was just to give it a shot in the arm so to speak.

 I don't expect it to flower again (although if it does that would be a bonus). As it's a lower growing variety and in a pot l wouldn't expect it to go mad 
Next year l shall pay it a bit more attention, it was rather neglected after doing really well last year. 

Obelixx

I would cut it back hard too @Nollie and water it generously a couple of times a week for the rest of this summer and give it some liquid feed now too.   You need it to grow some new foliage to photosynthesise and feed the roots.

Etoile Violette is very vigorous when it gets going so give it a chance.

Nollie

More than happy to give it a chance, I’m willing it to live @Obelixx, a vigorous clematis is exactly what I wanted for that spot as it needs to compete with the nearby wisteria. Very many thanks for your advice both, will chop, feed and water as advised. I hope yours recovers Anni.