"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
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"ZeroZero" wrote in message
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I have inherited this old clematis with roots as thick as a child's arm.
It has not flowered last year and this year their are no buds. I haveno
idea of the variety. Part of the problem may be shade as it is in a
passageway, but even those parts that have escaped over a wall into
direct sunshine have no buds. The previous gardener specialised in giant
brambles so i dont think its been cared for. I did put some growmore on
the roots last year - but zilch.
Should i hard prune, if so how?
how do you fix such an old monster I should hate to lose it

Zero

thanks




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ZeroZero

Sounds like a montana type, it should be in flower now, if its not but
seems otherwise healthy chop it back now and let some light and air in. If
its very old this may kill it but they die of old age eventually unless
they are cut back from time to time. If its not leafed out then its had it
any way!

We just lost our montana Rubens. There were a few buds, but none opened. It
was planted on a south facing wall, and there were various other things
around it at ground level, so it did have it's "feet in the shade, and it's
head in the sun" which is traditionally quoted as the best thing for them. I
don't know whether the cold winter did for it, or it just died of old age,
as has been suggested. Other montanas around here seem to be having a bumper
year. Anyway, it did us so well for a decade or more that we've now replaced
it with anothe Rubens.

Steve