How To Deal With Overgrown Heavy Clematis.

Question

Hi, I am a complete amateur when it comes to gardening but am trying to learn. Our house has a clematis trailing over a wooden archway and it’s massively overgrown with several inches of ‘dead’ wood underneath it. I want to replace the archway but will need to thin out the plant to make it more manageable and ultimately more attractive. Am I safe to clear out the old wood (it can be done by hand as it’s brittle) and then prune back the live vines? or would you advise something else? Thanks, Owen

• 
• 
• 

Answer 1

Hard, restorative pruning can be very healthy for the plant, but you will need to know which pruning group your Clematis is in before you prune. This will dictate at what time you will want to prune them.

This article will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/clematis/pruning-clematis-vines.htm