Hi there!
I have a few questions for all you clematis experts out there. ;o) I have a Hagley Hybrid clematis that I planted in, I think, 2003. I really like it, but the bottom is getting to look bad with all the wood? and no flowers. It flowers like crazy in the middle and on top. I have been looking at a ton of info and it just confuses me more. ;o( All the info I have read says its a later bloomer, like end of June to July. Mine always blooms in April. It says it's a group 3 clematis, so I am supposed to prune it hard in February or March. Well, I have never, ever pruned it and am unsure what to do at this point. It is just now starting to get a few buds. I am afraid to ruin it and not get any blooms. And the bottom is a mess of wood and I would have no idea where to cut. I can send a picture if anyone needs to see it. It seems weird to me that it says it blooms in June/July and mine always blooms in April.
Thanks for any suggestions or advice.
Sherry
Hagley Hybrid Clematis questions
Sherry,
Are you sure that it is Hagley's Hybrid. Lot of Clematis are mislabled, ecspecialy(mispelled) if bought at one of the big box stores. What color are the blooms. Blooming that early it seems it would be one of the prunning groups 1 or 2. pictures would be great.
Gary
Gary,
I'm pretty sure it's correct. Here's a photo of it from my garden. It said, 'Hagley's Hybrid'. The bloom time is part of what is confusing me when I try to figure out when it should be pruned.
Sherry
One more photo of my clematis. Hope these help.
Sherry ;o)
It's really pretty, I would wait and prune after it flowers - it's roots are well established if its been there this long - as long as you don't cut too low on the thick woody trunk you should be fine and get lower blooms next year. I totally agree - I often have different bloom times than what they say, just wait till it's done flowering and the plant has plenty of time to set new buds for next year.
Sherry..the reason why you see your "Hagley's Hybrid" have blooms at the top and in spots here and there is because it is blooming on the new vines...you haven't hard pruned it and yes your pic looks like HH..remember that pruning group 3's bloom on the vines grown that season (new vines).....prune it now!!..Take your fingers and follow each vine from the ground and go the the 3rd leaf axil and cut above it...pull out all the cut vines and fertilize with either some Tomato Fertilizer or Rose Fertilizer and your clematis will bloom beautifully..here ..take a look at how I hard pruned my clematis ..hope this helps...Jeanne
This message was edited Mar 30, 2007 3:08 PM
Listen to Jeanne! :) She knows what she's talkin' about.... you show that clematis who's the boss !
Sherrygirl: Your Clematis is beautiful! Just hard prune it now, fertilize with tomato or rose food, and it will be loaded with beautiful blooms in a couple of months!
Redtootsiepop,
Thank you. I appreciate the info. I went ahead and cut it back like the others said, so we'll see how that changes the bloom time. Maybe it will bloom closer to the times it's supposed to. ;o) I showed it who was boss......I hope....... LOL
JeanneTX,
Wow! Thank you so much for the detailed answer! And the picture really helped me to understand where I should make the cuts. And it helped me to have the nerve to actually cut it down that far. Pictures are always so helpful, especially if you only THINK you understand what you're being told. LOL It was still a little hard to do as I have never pruned it, but I took the plunge and did it! Maybe that's why it bloomed so early. Wonder when I'll see blooms this year. It will be interesting to see what happens. My clematis looks a lot different than yours at the bottom where I cut it though. Miine is very curled and twisted.
Shirley1md,
Thank you! That's exactly what I did since everyone here seems to agree. It gave me the courage! Now I just have to figure out how to prune my others or whether to wait until they are a little older.
Sherry
Sherrygirl: Pruning encourages more vines to grow from the root system, thereby giving you a fuller plant with more blooms. So, don't be scared to prune. Your vines will greatly appreciate the "haircut" and will reward you with renewed vigor. If your Clematis have been growing in your garden for more than 1 year, I would go ahead and prune them also. Yes, you may forsake some of the earlier blooms, but in the end you will have a better developed vine and more flowers.
Sherry..no problem..I have to laugh..the first time that Debbie told me to get out there and prune my clematis like that..I had to drink two double Tangeray Martinis (To get up the nerve) and then I was seeing double so I wore my husbands glasses to make the vines look bigger..and more clear..and BOY did they go nuts and grew like a weed after pruning!!..In about 6-8 weeks they bloomed after that...here in my long growing season..I reprune after they bloom and re-fertilize and get another bloom cycle on my pruning group 3's....Jeanne
When you cut back group 3's like this do you cut back the new growth coming up from the ground or the growth from last year or both??
Debbie
You don't prune the new vines coming up from the ground..just the older ones from previous years...Remember that Pruning group 3's bloom on new wood..so those coming straight from the ground are new....Jeanne
Jeanne - you are a riot! I don't trust myself pruning anything after a glass of wine ! - AND with your husbands glasses - that was the killer - thanks for the chuckle of the day!
Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know!!
Debbie