I prune type 2's the same way I prune type 3's, so a hard prune down to the first or second set of buds from the base of the vine. All this does is delay the initial flowering slightly while keeping the vine to a manageable size.

I do this for a couple of reasons. I have too many clematis and I don't always keep good track of who is where because I also grow them all in containers and move them around a lot. It is just much simpler to treat them all the same.

Depending on your location, I would have done this by now. I typically prune in February or March. This past year, I pruned them all back in October, as I moved to a new house and garden and they were easier to transport. In mid April, both 2's and 3's will have a lot of new growth on them and sometimes it seems a little brutal to cut that all off. Be strong!! The vine won't mind a bit and will respond by pushing more new growth lower down, just where you want it.

I live in a cold climate,so type 2s die back to the snow line. I think that Cindy Tibbetts of Hummingbird Farm Nursery refers to this as don’t bother pruning.