What a delight to see those first anticipated blossoms. Remember to prune it back hard the first two or three years to encourage more stems and blossoms.

I am waiting for a blossom on one that is a replacement for a mislabeled one that I bought this spring. I was not happy to see those first blooms as that was the second plant of that variety, Allanah, that was mislabeled so I am hoping that the third time is the charm.

Do you know the variety of your clematis and what prunning group it is in? I have a Dr. Ruppel and the man that does all my prunning didn't get to it in mid March..there is so much dead wood in back of it; it's in prunning group #2. The trellis is old and has about had it; what if I have him cut it back to 12-18 in. above the ground like you do a clematis that is in #3 group so I can install a new trellis behind it; am I going to ruin the chances of it flowering in the Spring? He will be doing the Fall maintainence and mulching in late October.
It really didn't produce as many blooms this year as it has in the past. Don't know if it was because he got to it late or what the reason for less blooms.

this is a Nelly Moser, group 2 I believe.

I suggest waiting to cut it back until after a killing frost and you are sure there won't be any regrowth before spring. Or you could have it pruned in early spring just as the vines are budding and change the trellis then. You will not lose your spring bloom. It may just be a little later. I have many type 2s that are pruned as type three and they still bloom in the spring with some light rebloom in the late summer/early fall. The President is one that is giving some fall bloom right now, not many and smaller blossoms but nice to see.

Sometimes those that bloom double with the first bloom on old wood will not bloom double when they have been trimmed back hard though some still bloom double even when trimmed back hard. Seems to be a toss up for mine.

This post was edited by mnwsgal on Mon, Sep 23, 13 at 18:08