I've had this clematis for eight years and it has always grown and flowered beautifully every year, but this year it has grown very tall and has loads of beautiful leaves, but is not budding. I fertilized it the beginning of spring. What is happening to it?
By Peggy C
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Maybe your clematis has enjoyed the fertilizer too much and will produce only foliage this year. You should use rose-tree fertilizer before spring and after summer. To help your clematis produce more flowers next year just prune it.
Pruning time depends on the type of clematis. Varieties with small flowers blooming in winter and spring (cirrhosa, armandii, alpina and macropetala) will be pruned after flowering. For others, prune late winter cutting back one or two older branches to 30-40 cm. It should keep your clematis vigorous and floriferous.
Clematis armandii and montana can be pruned every two to four years by cutting all its branches at 40 cm from the ground just after flowering. I know it feels hard to cut back a beautiful clematis but it really helps the plant. I have a 3 years old Clematis Armandii. It had only 2 branches and nearly died this winter after spending a whole week covered with snow just when it had started flowering. Its bigger branch was broken accidently and in one week its started 2 new branches from its foot so that this accidental pruning has made it produce more branches in one week than it did in 3 years and the general shape of the plant will be much nicer too!
Hope this helps! Catherine
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