Encourage Growth After Hard Cut-Back

by Samantha P
(Edmonton, AB)

Hello, I recently bought this property and I believe that I cut back the two Clematis plants back to severely (approx 2-3 cm above the ground). I can barely look at this spot now without feeling some frustration at myself. I do not know the names nor types of the two Clematis' as I am very new at gardening. I hope this picture will allow you to identify both. The green Clematis with no flowers on the left is the type that leaves fluffy snowball type looking things, I presume after flowering.

I would like to know how I can encourage some new and rapid growth so I can get some of the very nice visual effect that you can see in this picture sooner. I'm afraid that I may have destroyed the plants by my action.

This side of the house faces South, recieves lots of sun, and requires frequent watering. There is some wind coming from the West (a large open park across the street with no trees to block the wind). I cannot tell you more as I only moved into this property mid-late summer (July-ish) last year and did not "do" much to take care of the lawn and garden after this point.

Thankyou,

Samantha P

Doug says to take a deep breath. Relax. The clematis will come back from the roots with no problem as soon as the ground warms up.

Toss a shovel or two of compost on top of the roots and stand back. They'll bloom quite nicely for you. Frankly, in Edmonton, most of the clematis are going to die right back to the ground over the winter in any case. So you need to have the varieties that flower on new wood (you likely do).

This means they'll produce a ton of new growth this year - from the ground right to the top of that trellis and bloom as well.

Just feed them with the compost - and if you want to spoil them - give them some fish-emulsion fertilizer on a weekly or every second week basis from the time they start to grow right up to mid-July. Then let them do their thing and die off next fall.

But relax. You haven't done anything irreparable. :-)