Help! My Wisley clematis cut off at the base!

I went out this morning to get the paper and noticed my clematis didn't look happy. Then I saw that the main vine had been cut off at the base. It was a clean cut versus a splitting break or bending of the vine. Could this have happened by rabbits or other critters either gnawing at it or just breaking it as they dash by? There are chipmunks who live under the porch, and the trellis and Wisely are on one end of it. I think I'll need to underplant to try to protect it better if it comes back.

I removed the vine from the trellis and put some cuttings in water for the moment. This is its second year. I don't recall how deep I planted it, but it was doing rather well this year, and looked as if it might be showing new growth and maybe a few more blooms recently. Will it come back, do you tihnk? And I don't really know how to propogate clematis. Is water rooting good, or should I get some root hormone and try sticking the shoots in pots?

Thanks for any help and reassurance you can offer.

how sad! I had to cut mine down 2 weeks ago because of some structural repairs and I had to cut it really low to get it off the pole it was on, and it is already sending out new growth. So I would not dispair, it should recoup just fine.
As for cuttings, I can tell you what I did with a bit of success, when I trimmed I stuck the cut ends into some damp vermiculite and put in a cool, full shade spot and put a loose plastic bag over the top. I just ignored them and when I checked them later, (I would say 6-8 weeks but that is approx, I cannot remember exactly how long before I checked) I had a few rooted and a few rotted. I am sure that there are some others that have had better success, hopefully they will see your post soon.
Good luck,
Donna

Hi Donna,
Thanks for the advice. I'm off to get some vermiculite just in case it doesn't come back. And now to try to figure out how to keep it from happening again. Grrrr.

Thanks again.

I'm not sure how my cuttings are doing. They don't pull easily out of the soil, but they're in pots, so I can't see if they are rooting.

But....my Wisley is coming back! Woo hoo!

I just had to share.

Thanks,
w

great news! I am very relieved and happy for you. :~)
And just be patient on your cuttings. If they are not brown, then you are in good shape. LOL

So glad to hear that your clematis is going to be ok. I was pretty sure it would be. A few years ago when I was stuck in bed after knee surgery, I watched out the window as my gardener PULLED my Blue Light up along with the weeds! Ouch! And I couldn't do anything but watch from my bedroom window. It wasn't blooming at the time so he thought it was a rogue vine of some sort. I was sure it was a gonner, but it was back in business and blooming again at the end of that summer. (Needless to say I don't let him pull weeds in the garden anymore.)