No, just deadhead. When it is completely finished blooming give it a hit of fertilizer to stimulate new growth (and blooms).

Beautiful! I wish I had a spot to accomplish this, it's such a pretty look!

If it were me, I would cut it back by half, fertilize it and keep it well watered and you will be rewarded with a second flush of blooms almost as big as the first one. That is typically what I do to most of my type III clematis for subsequent blooms. I know Jeanne does this as well.

Miguel is right Sachow..living in warmer extended growing zones...we can hard prune again and refertilize and they will grow right back up and in a couple of months have those blooms all over again..I sometimes hard prune mine 3 times during the season..depending how fast they grow and bloom...Most of my pruning group 3's were hard pruned again last month and have started growing back up...Jeanne

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I guess pruning is actually easier than trying to deadhead so many blooms. But do you untangle the pruned stems from the wires or just let them hang there and turn brown? The petioles cling to the wires so much I think it'd take a long time to detach every single one.

gardengirl, thanks for compliment. The main reason I was forced to train Polish Spirit this way is because I don't have any other spot to display it.

I tend to be a perfectionist and actually pull the vines off the wires. It will take a while between when you prune and when the plant puts out new vines. In the meantime, the cut vines will brown out and become brittle, especially if it is hot. Usually a good yank on the older dried out vines will remove most of them. Those that remain will be covered up by the new vines. I would still be tempted to get up there and remove the older vines if at all possible--but you are dealing with a Type A personality with me! LOL

Miguel is just like me...I prune and then yank all the cut vines off my wire/trellis and throw in the trash...Jeanne

It is gorgeous