Printer-friendly versionSend to friendBringing clematis into bloom by Sevierville landscape designer Jim Rouhan Q) I received a clematis this spring for Mother's Day, and I am hearing so many different things in regards to pruning and care, that I have no idea what I am supposed to do.  Can you give me the basics? A) Clematis are spectacular when in full bloom, and keeping them happy is important.  They can grow 6 to 20 feet tall, and around 3 feet wide.  They are available in many colors; pink, red, blue, purple, white, and yellow.  A happy clematis can bloom from early spring through fall.  They thrive when planted in full sun or part shade with the roots mulched with a thick layer of organic mulch.   Soil should be cool, moist, and well drained.  Clematis will grow very well here in Tennessee.    Here are a few other tips for a successful clematis vine:   Get to know your plant.  Knowing what type of clematis you have will help with pruning.  More on this in a minute.    Create the right soil.  Clematis prefer a slightly alkaline soil, with a pH of 7 to 7.5.  Don't add lime unless you have done a soil test.   When you plant your clematis, use plenty of organic matter in the planting hole.  Try to plant a few of the buds under the soil line.  This will help make your plant thicker and fuller.   Clematis enjoy growing in full sun, but it is important to keep the roots cool.  This can be done by mulching, as mentioned above, or by planting the clematis in a spot where the ground is shaded in the afternoon.    When pruning, make the cut right above a set of buds.  Don't worry about pruning at an angle.   Keep an eye out for any disease and treat any problems quickly.  Clematis wilt is a common problem, and is recognized when a portion of the plant wilts suddenly.  Prune this section of the plant off, preferably right above the soil line.  This will help prevent the fungus from spreading to the rest of the plant.  using a fungicide will also help, preferably a systemic type.  Some cultivars, such as 'The President', 'Ville de Lyon', Nelly Moser', 'Betty Corning' and 'Jackmanii' are resistant to the fungus.   Clematis like to be fertilized, but overfeeding can cause a lot of foliage with few flowers.  Use a well balanced fertilizer in the spring.  10-10-10 is a good type of fertilizer.   Use the right type of trellis to grow your clematis.  Clematis climb by using their leaf stems (petioles).  The structure or support must be small enough to allow the petioles to wrap around it.    When it comes to pruning, there are three types of clematis.      Group A clematis bloom only on old wood, and as a general rule only bloom in the spring.  This type of clematis should only be pruned right after flowering. Mature specimens of this group may have to be pruned hard every few years to rejuvenate the plant. Examples include C. armandii, C. alpina, C. macropetala, and C. montana.   Group B clematis have large flowers and will generally bloom in spring and again in the fall.  They bloom on both old and new wood.  Oddly enough, there are several double-flowered varieties in this category which bloom double flowers on old wood, and single flowers on new wood.  This type of clematis is best pruned immediately after flowering, as well at tip pruned in the summer.  This will help create more branching for more flowers in fall. Examples include ' Belle of Woking',  'Multi Blue',  'Kiri Te Kanawa', 'Henryi', 'Bee's Jubilee', 'Nelly Moser', 'Ruby Glow', and 'Elsa spath.'   Group C clematis are the easiest type to prune.  They bloom on new wood, and should be pruned to 12 inches of the ground every spring before new growth starts. Many varieties in this group are long blooming.  Cultivars include;'Ville de Lyon', 'Jackmanii', 'Gipsy Queen', 'Betty Corning', 'Ville de Lyon', 'Blue Boy', 'Niobe', 'Comtesse de Bouchard, 'Hagley Hybrid',  'Crimson Star',  and 'Lady Betty Balfour'.