The only clematis that I had grow well early, were the ones that I just stuck in the ground and let grow. No fussing, just letting nature take its course. I have even cut them back in fall. I don't believe it's natural to keep pruning them.

This year the earwigs keep pruning them for me and I had no blooms. I think the pruning shocks the plant more than it produces more roots. At least I haven't seen it proven.

Kimcoco, clematis are like people--some respond well to one type of treatment and others to other types of treatment. The fact that your pruning did produce good results on some of your recently planted clematis proves to me that this type of treatment is the best general advice and type of procedure people should follow when they plant clematis. Another thing to consider is that the results of your trimming back may not be apparent this year. The results on some of your clematis may not be apparent until next year when they come up.

On top of that you have to realize that some plants are just more naturally stronger growers the first year in the groung compared to others. There may have also been differences in the root systems in the original plants that you received and that may be the limiting factor in why some of your pruned clematis responded more favorably this year as compared to last year. Bottom line is don't let the first growing season in the ground be any indication of whether the practice is valid or not.

On top of all this, I have a question about how you have been pruning. All advice I have ever given said to allow the plant to come up and develop three to five sets of leaves and then pinch the growing tip out. This should force axillary buds on each side of the pinched out area into growth and you should have gotten two new vines coming out of each side of that one vine. Then you should have allowed each of those two new vines grow out and have 3 to 5 sets of leaves and re-pinched out the growing tips on each of them. Each of those two vines should have each developed two vines from the axillary buds on each vine, giving you four vines. All this new foliage would allow the plant to photosynthesize a lot of energy that would be stored next year and allow the plant to put out new vines from the crown.

From your pictures, I see only one long vine on the clematis you are asking about. If you were pinching correctly, you should have seen side shoots develop. Are you sure that on the ones you are asking about, you weren't pinching back to the same point each time you pinched?

Irrespect of this, the bottom line is that each clematis in your garden is going to grow at its own pace, clematis take time to get established in your garden and how mature they are when planted is going to affect this, and this is their first season in the ground. I think you are obsessing about something that is not a problem but more of a reflection of the little amount of time they have been planted. Remember, that most clematis take 3 or so years to get established and that is when you will see the results of your pinching back--not the first year in the ground.

I think the description of the pinching is very helpful and the first time I've seen it written such that could actually visualize the process. Thanks for that, Nckvilledudes! This could be another issue with my spindly clematis growing next to a shrub since I don't think I ever pinched it properly. Is it too late to do that now? I also have a similar problem with Betty Corning that actually made quite a few blooms this year but had only a single (maybe 2)stem coming out of the soil. Somehow it managed to get a lot of "branches" towards the top but did not grow in a bushy way from the bottom. Should I cut this back to a foot or so now? The main stem is kind of hard and brown and I just want to make sure that the main stem is what should be cut back instead of the many side stems sprouting off the main stem further up the plant.
Sorry to jump in with my own problems instead of being able to help with your original query, Kimcoco but your issue seemed so on topic that I couldn't resist.

Miguel said:

"I think you are obsessing about something that is not a problem but more of a reflection of the little amount of time they have been planted."

I'm not obsessing, Miguel. Just looking to you for reassurance! LOL I've seen the pics of your clematis and I'm hooked.

Being serious, I don't think I pinched back to the original point of pinching. If I did, I don't know why I would have done that. ??? Maybe it was one of my "off" gardening days...LOL.

Amna mentioned the hard brown stem. My Warsaw Nike seems more woody than some others. Some of the stems of my clems are a nice green, while the Warsaw Nike is brown and woody, but healthy (actually, I noticed the first bloom on it today!), but now that I think of it, two of the
one-stemmers have the woody type stems whereas my Polish Spirit, for example, is all green with lots of shoots. But I have to agree with you, not all plants are from the same vendor, nor were the root sizes identical.

I hate to say it, but I got one of the largest root systems on a clem I picked up at MENARDS on clearance! Silver Star Vinery would be a close toss up. Nice healthy roots.

Digressing back to the subject, as long as my pinching will promote root growth, I'm content.

I will sleep better tonight, Miguel. No more obsessing. LOL.

Thanks for your valuable feedback - I always look forward to reading your posts. :)

Amna, good luck with your clems. I read another one of your posts...I recently planted one of my clems next to my arborvitae (to climb up), but someone here suggested I use one of those biodegradable planters (that you get from Steins to cover your plants during a frost) to protect the roots of the clematis from the tree roots. I removed the bottom of the container before burying in the ground.

No problems Kimcoco. Patience is a virtue with clematis. I am sure your clematis will be fuller in the future for your pinching back this year. In fact, when I have the time, I tend to follow this practice each spring with all my type III clematis since it produces more photosynthetic greenery that will result in more flowers and a healthier plant.

Amma, I wouldn't be cutting back any of your clematis as far north as you are and as late in the season as it is now since cutting now is likely to stimulate new growth which will get zapped back by the first frosts and take some of the stored energy that plant has produced for use next spring. Do your trimming back in the winter or early spring. I have cut many clematis back to brown woody stems and not had an issue with it although most have been the type IIs. It hasn't seemed to bother them at all.

I think they look outstanding for as young as they are.

Thanks Portland. My Prince Charles, Rouge Cardinal(??), Venosa Violacea, Warsaw Nike and Bonanza are all blooming, and others are just ready to bloom..7 of 11 have buds/blooms. Woo hoo!!!

I am soooooo dreading the coming winter....