How to Grow a Clematis Vine

Keep the soil moist during the first year by watering weekly. So, do not let the soil dry out. In colder regions, add extra mulch around the plant in late fall to protect the roots. Once the plant is in the ground, don’t disturb or move it. .

• In spring, fertilize with a liquid seaweed or fish emulsion. In subsequent years, fertilize with a balanced, all-purpose (5-10-5) fertilizer.
• Each spring spread compost around the plant (away from the stems). 
• In spring, prune dead wood back, cutting above new, emerging buds.
• On older plants, remove any stems that are four years old or older. 

Pruning Clematis

Prune clematis to promote flowering. There are three different kinds of clematis, and you need to determine which kind you have before you prune. Woody-stemmed types like the Clematis Montana bloom early on last year’s stems. Prune plants after flowering to remove deadwood.
 

Clematises belong to one of three groups based on flower size and bloom time.

Group 1: Woody-stemmed types bloom on last year’s stems. Flowers appear in early to mid-spring. Prune after flowering, if desired, to remove deadwood. Examples include: C. armandii, C. alpine, C. cirrhosis, C. macropetula, and C. montana.

Group 2: Double and semidouble flowers should also be pruned as above. They may bloom twice: in May/June on last year’s wood and later in the year on new shoots. But prune after spring flowers fade; remove dead wood in late winter. Examples include hybrids: ‘Miss Bateman’, Lake Sondesborough’, ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Henry’, ‘Marie Boisselot’, and ‘Elsa Spath’.

Group 3: Large, showy flowers that bloom in summer and autumn are on current year’s growth. Prune severely in late winter/early spring, leaving two pairs of buds on each stem. Common varieties include C. viticella, C. recta, and C. x jackmanii.

See our complete post on pruning your clematis.