Wonders never cease!

[Patrushka]

Remember my clematis that has had one flower in the fifteen years that we have lived here? I pulled all of the growth over to my side of the fence and was going to cut it back and see if that helped. Well, I never did cut it back. I walked over to look at it today and low and behold there was a flower. I was moving the vine a bit because I wanted to get a pic and I saw another flower. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? Should I wait until the flowers fade and then cut it way back.

[mooie]

I dunno pat, when I first looked at the pics, the plant almost appears to be 'too' lush? Everything looks too soft and growthy. Is there an extra nitrogen thingy going on here? Just a thought....

mooie

[caliloo]

Here are some pruning guidelines. Take a guess which type you may have and give it a shot!

http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-pruning.cfm

Good Luck!

Alexa

[wishiwere]

Are there more buds to open? I think if I'd waited 15 years to see it bud, I'd be certain to let it finish before cutting back. Apparently it buds on old wood, so let it bloom (or in my opinion I would), then cut it back as it says on the site Alexa sent. That will give it time to grow back for next years blooms

[Patrushka]

Mooie, What you see is the top part of the vines which I pulled back over to my side of the fence. The old wood is hidden by them. I am horrible about fertilizing so over fertilizing could not be the problem.

Alexa, Thanks for the link. I'm guessing it is Type 3. Maybe my lack of pruning is the problem. My mom started this for me from a cutting years ago. Thinking back, I'm pretty sure she used to do a hard pruning on it at least every other year.

Jane, I didn't notice any more buds but Alexa's link says to hard prune in February so that's what I'm going to do.

[GrannyNanny]

Clematis are voracious feeders when developing buds and blossoming. I'd give it a good dose of fertilizer at the beginning of next spring, prune it hard, and see what happens. Phyllis