The first spring after I moved into my house, I was delighted when the
clematis growing on my fence had dozens and dozens of booms on it - it was
beautiful. However, it has never bloomed like that again. Every year
since, it has only had 5 - 10 blooms on it. I read somewhere that this
particular variety - Bees Jubilee - has flowers on year old vines. Is that
true? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jill

If I remember right, early blooming clematis blooms on old wood/stems, and
late blooming clematis gets cut down to the ground for winter and comes out
on new growth. So if you were told it's on year old vines, then you need to
leave it alone, and make sure you don't disturb the vines too much, and
especially don't disturb the roots.

We've got a purple clematis that trails up over our climbing hydrangea, and
since we've been leaving it alone, we get a great show may/june (this year
it was june and going into july, because of how cool and wet it's been). A
vine or two will die off over the winter if it's been particularly cold, but
I've stopped trimming at all until the leaves are coming out -- there's been
vines that I was *sure* was die-off, that leafed out and bloomed
fantastically.

Hope that helps some,

Ali


"Jill Claus" wrote in message
...
The first spring after I moved into my house, I was delighted when the
clematis growing on my fence had dozens and dozens of booms on it - it was
beautiful. However, it has never bloomed like that again. Every year
since, it has only had 5 - 10 blooms on it. I read somewhere that this
particular variety - Bees Jubilee - has flowers on year old vines. Is
that
true? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jill

Jill Claus wrote:

The first spring after I moved into my house, I was delighted when the
clematis growing on my fence had dozens and dozens of booms on it - it was
beautiful. However, it has never bloomed like that again. Every year
since, it has only had 5 - 10 blooms on it. I read somewhere that this
particular variety - Bees Jubilee - has flowers on year old vines. Is that
true? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jill

Bees Jubilee is a pruning group 2 clematis (sometimes also classified as a B1).
It should receive a light pruning annually in March as new growth appears. This
should be followed by a heavy bloom period in May/June with a lighter flush of
bloom later in the summer. If your clematis has been neglected or not pruned
for several years, you can rejuvenate it by pruning back hard in March as you
would those clematis that bloom on new growth. You will have less flowers
initially, but a heavier late season bloom. Remember too that clematis are
heavy feeders and appreciate a good organic mulching or twice seasonal
application of rose fertilizer. Be sure it gets sufficient water during the
growing season.

pam - gardengal