Pruning depends on the variety. Best to prune and transplant in the fall especially if they are budding out now because their roots scramble around.

Here is a link that might be useful: Propagating Perennials

PP, you don't say what zone you garden in. In my zone 7a garden, I would wait to transplant in the fall because we tend to heat up very early in the spring and the hot temps too soon would not be good for newly transplanted clematis. In the fall, we have a long period where the clematis would have to get acclimated in their new spots before winter really sets in, if it does at all.

You know what your conditions are like better than anyone else so use that information to help guide you as to whether to do it now in early spring or later in the late summer/early fall.

All newly planted clematis benefit from being treated as type IIs the first year or so in the ground since it helps them to get established, develop more robust root systems, and helps to force new vines to break from the crown. If you are going to move the vines this spring, I am afraid you will have to chop everything back to help facilitate the move. It will be almost impossible to not break the vines if you don't prune them back now. If you are going to wait until this fall to move them, enjoy the blooms and then cut them back to stimulate more bud breaks on the vines.

Miguel meant to say treat them as type 3's & Hard prune them..the first year...Jeanne

You are absolutely correct Jeanne. Thanks! Should have said treat as IIIs. Thanks for catching that. I ought to have a bunch of typed up stuff that I can copy and paste as many times as we have to repeat them! LOL

Your are more than welcome hon..You are always watching my back when I mistype ...what are friends for..Hugz..Jeanne

Thanks you guys. I live in zone 7 NW Ga. The two I was wanting to transplant are about six inches high and really didn't grow much last year due to the drought and my neglect so I was so happy to see them coming back. I had cut down a bunch of trees and it was around a tree that was cut also so I assumed it was stomped to death. I will leave them then and wait til this fall to find their new home. What about the one that has new growth at the top and new growth at the bottom? Should I have hard pruned it before it started leafing out? Judy

Thanks for watching my back Jeanne!! Hugz back at you!!

PP, being in Georgia I would wait until fall to transplant the clematis. Your summers come on just like ours in NC, cool one minute and blazing hot and humid the next. I know only too well how hot and dry last summer was. You probably should have hard pruned the one leafing out at the top and the bottom. You still can but you could always wait and see what happens. Where the plant blooms first, on the older wood at the top or on new wood that is just coming up from the bottom, will help determine what pruning class it falls into. Make sure and post pictures when they bloom and we can try and ID the plant for you.

Alrighty then. Theres already buds on the vine at the top so I may wait until it blooms out and then will cut it back some. So since it is putting on growth way up top that means its a cat. 3? I might can trim around on it and cut some of the vine that doesn't have any new growth on it. Thanks for all your help, Judy

PP, just because it is putting out growth at the top does not necessarily mean it is a type III. All clematis will put out growth where ever there is a bud that can break and produce new stems. Where the plant flowers, on smaller shoots coming from older wood versus higher up off of all new wood, will help decide if it is a type II or III. How early in the season a clematis blooms will also help narrow down whether a plant is a type II or III but just realize that when any clematis blooms in your zone may be very different than someone who gardens in a cooler or warmer zone than you.

I'd also add that if you keep it adequately watered for the next few weeks, any clematis at that stage would probably be fine transplanted. You could cut it back even further to assure that, and plant it a little deeper than it is now.