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Janet · 27-05-2016, 01:20 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

On 27/05/2016 09:18, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
shazzbat wrote:
Our clematis montana Rubens was badly attacked by aphids last year, and this
year it has flowered poorly/hardly at all, to the extent that it is now
over. I assume the two are connected. It needs pruning as it's getting a bit
big for its position. Question is, if I prune it hard back to the main stem
which is trained across the back of the house, will this -

A help with flowering next year, and
B help disrupt the aphid cycle?

Or:

C kill it

And should I prune it now or later in the year?

Now is good, but I have limited experience with that species, and
was under the impression that it did not like hard pruning. Other
people may know more, but I am just warning that it may be like that.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Generally speaking at this time of year you can take off anything you
can get off with a pair of secateurs, if you have to use a saw that's
too far back! Done now it shouldn't effect flower too much next year the
longer you leave it the more effected next years flowering will be
although you can get away with it until about mid July, as for aphids,
there are good years and bad years, this is a bad year down here, there
is not much you can do about it, I find putting up tit boxes works as
well as anything else

I have found that hanging a small peanut feeder close to an aphid
infestation, attracts tits to the feast. At this time of year they are
eager to find live food for chicks.

Janet