If you grow summer-flowering clematis (group 3), February to March is the ideal time to cut them back, just as new growth starts to appear. Group 3 clematis flower from June onwards, with favourites like ‘Etoile Violette’, ‘Polish Spirit’, ‘Entel’ and the dramatic ‘Taiga’ among their ranks.
Not sure which clematis you have? Here are the clematis pruning groups explained:
• Group 3 (summer-flowering, e.g. ‘Etoile Violette’, ‘Taiga’): Prune hard now, as they flower on new growth.
• Group 2 (spring/early summer-flowering, e.g. ‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Dr Ruppel’): These bloom before June and only need a light prune, as they flower on last year’s stems.
• Group 1 (earliest, e.g. C. montana, C. alpina): Flower first in the year - just tidy up lightly after they bloom.
If you’re unsure which group your clematis is in, don’t worry. Prune as for group 3; you may have fewer flowers this season, but your plant will recover well and you’ll know how to prune next year once you see when it flowers. Hard pruning encourages new shoots from the base, bringing blooms lower down and avoiding bare stems with flowers out of reach at the top.
How to prune group 3 clematis: step-by-step
Step 1: Prepare to prune! Summer-flowering clematis put on masses of growth but are quick to tidy up - a few snips is all it takes!
Step 2: Cut back hard. Using sharp secateurs, prune every stem to around 30cm from the ground, cutting just above a pair of leaf buds.
Step 3: Clear the old growth. Gather up the pruned stems and add them to your compost heap.
Step 4: Mulch for strong regrowth. After pruning, spread a mulch of leaf mould, compost, or well-rotted manure around the base. This adds nutrients and locks in moisture, giving your clematis a healthy head start for an abundant summer display.
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