Got a big old clematis that needs cutting right back and I’m just wondering what the best time is to cut it right back? Its just flowered and the petals are already falling off……..is this the best time to prune? (and when I say prune I mean hack rigt back – its about 20 years ols and has a good thick trunk/stem to it).

With clematis the general rule is that for the evergreen types (C. armandii, cirrhosa etc) you don’t need to prune, for others it’s usually after flowering. If it’s just flowered it may be a C. montana which can get a bit rampant and need a damn good hacking now and again.

RHS advice is here which says the same sort of thing.

Not that this helps, but iirc there’s roughly 3 different sub-groups of clematis each with different pruning strategies. The ones I last read the instructions on suggested Feb – before the growing season. However if it’s just flowered then there’s a good chance it’s a clematis montana in which case now’s a good a time as any to hack at it, as it won’t have really started growing this season yet.

/Edit What thepurist said +1

Monthly at the moment with a montana that is invading my garden 😉

Do you like it? If not hack it right back and plant another that you do like, they dont take long to settle in…

My Montana:
One half:

Other half:

Neighbours response:

students in brackets

lol

I generally hack them back in Oct/November when there looking spindly had horrbille. Then come growing season they go like the clappers.

Sooner rather than later.