I've read a book on pruning clematis and it has a several year long plan for pruning clematis based on type. I have a clematis jackmanii that was growing on a fence that blew down. Right now it is in a pot waiting to be put in its new home next to a large pink rose bush. It broke and is now a single stem with growth coming out of the only set of growth buds left at the very bottom. I was wondering if i can pinch back this new growth to the lowest set of buds now to make these new vines brach, creating a fuller plant and get flowers this summer. One side of the set of growth points is growing much more vigorously than the other. I was thinking of turning the pot around to give the weaker side more sun. Any suggestions?
can I "pinch" back my clematis jackmanii starting now
I'd pinch everything back so it sends up more shoots. Perhaps others in CA could give you better advice.
I always pinch my Jackmaniis back in February to March to get more shoots.
sweet! that's good enough for me. Thanks pirl!
You're welcome. Have fun.
I noticed some of my Clems starting to put out new leaves already. I am in zone 6 a.
That's very early!
That's what I thought. I am seeing bulbs trying to come up too. I didn't expect anything till the next month or so.
Should I just let them go and do what they want. I have the base covered with leave's and mulch.
There is little you can do to stop Mother Nature. The flowering mechanism is buried deep within the flower bulbs and should be very safe from harm.
My understanding was that the clematis get cut back and fertilized when the forsythia are in bloom. I usually am at the point where I cannot wait, so I am out there cutting mine back Aprilish. I have seen the forsythia bloom in this area anywhere from April to May, depending upon the winter.
I'd let them go Marie. We're supposed to get very cold again by the end of the week. As Pirl said, we can't stop Mom Nature.
I did chop back one Jackmanii only because it looked so dreadful every time we entered or exited the driveway. That was just last week. I bet it suffers no harm at all even through any more snow we might get.
Yeh I saw the weather report jerseyshore. I cant believe we are going down into the low 30's again as our high. But it is still Feb, I have seen it worse in this month. But I am soooooooo tired of cold weather. I guess the plants are too....lol
Yeah im kinda over our weather too. Had to borrow a sump pump for water under the house. So much rain! Were flooding.
How about wishing Louise (venu209) a happy birthday here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1074320/
This message was edited Feb 7, 2010 6:05 PM
Last fall, I casually tried to rip a bunch of nasty greenbrier vine off my 'Princess Diana' clem. It (the clem) was huge, billowed out all over a big, heavy trellis. The cow-itch is an ongoing battle - I dig, I spray, I pull...it always manages to keep just enough root to come back with a vengeance.
A few days later, the leaves of 'Princess' started going brown. Apparently I must have separated/torn some clematis stems as I was pulling off the weed. I looked at it a few times as the leaves continued to turn brown, but I didn't have time to go through and figure out exactly where the tear was. Now of course the whole thing is brown (not surprising, given the cold weather we've had here.)
I notice that 'Princess Diana' is considered in pruning group 3 - heavy pruning in the spring. Would I be safe in giving it a pretty good whacking now, or in a few weeks? I don't want to wait for it to get too far along in greening up, and then have to untangle dead stuff from the tender new growth. (But I can patiently untangle it, if that would be best.) Help!
I wouldn't be afraid to whack it back ASAP, certainly before the sap starts running.
I would cut it way back too....
I concur...whack that baby!
I whacked Jackmanii about two weeks ago. It just didn't look appealing.
Gulp. Okay, so when we say "whack" - just exactly how much are we talking about removing?
Leave two buds on each stem so about 12" from the ground. Once you cut it back more buds for more branching will occur and it will look like this photo.
If you don't cut it back severely you'll have bare bottoms and you don't want that!
Okey dokey...we're supposed to get up into the upper 40s by this wekend, so me and my pruners and lopppers will be out there, doing the deed. Thanks for the advice and moral support...this could be as traumatic than my babies' first haircuts!!!!
Mine with their leaves are still under snow.
Okay, I did it.
Before...
...and after:
Great. Now it's ready...set...grow!
I hope so! That was nerve-racking. I think I've still got twigs and stuff in my hair (I had to use my head to hold it up enough to see the base. Whatever else you might say about this 'Princess' - she wasn't leggy.
Next time you can use a long strip of packaging tape at the point where you want to cut it and just cut below the tape: then yank it off the trellis. Makes it easier to get to the trash. They aren't prime chipping or composting subjects.
Oh, once I got it lifted up, I could see the stems easily enough...I'm just whining for no good reason. It is so wonderful to be able to go outdoors without bundling up, I don't know what to do with myself.
I was only out working for a bit more than an hour but it felt great to be outside again.
I would love to be outside digging in the dirt! I have serious zone envy. The last couple of days have been in the low 40's though, so I am hoping it will be soon!
I didn't do any digging and when I moved one trellis I was wondering why I couldn't get it into the ground - the ground was still frozen. Most often I can start cleaning up the first week in March but it takes six weeks to get it done.
I don't think we will be doing much gardening too soon in my area. we are still under snow with maybe more coming next week.South Jersey here.
Maybe with all the clouds/rain/sleet coming our way it will melt the snow faster. I hope so!
me too. I cant even get into my back yard.
This winter was like a really bad joke on far too many of us.
We were in Maine last week and it was gorgeous weather, no dank cold, sunny, barely any old snow left and no new snow. Hard to believe I was in zone envy but for Maine!