When do I prune my Clematis?

And is there anyway to control the thing? It has taken over my front porch. It's only 4 years old, but larger than me already! I want it to vine across the railing...but it grows up and out and across the steps! Crazy thing :)

When do I prune my Clematis?
You can "train" your clematis to grow where you want it to by looping it around things and leading it to where you want it to go. I have 3 plants that are just coming up now and can't wait to lead them around my deck.
Reply:Ooooh controversy beckons! Nothing causes a good argument among gardeners than clematis pruning! :-)





The best advice I can find depends on the type of clematis.





If your's is early flowering then cut out dead shoots (and limit the plant to the area you want it) immediately after flowering.





If it's an early, large-flowered hybrid or a mid-season large flowerer cut out dead and weak shoots in early March. You can also cut out shoots which have flowered that year immediately after the bloom fades.





If you have a C. viticella variety or a late flowerer prune hard in March taking the previous year's growth right back to a couple of strong buds near the base.





This assumes you're in the same hemisphere as me (Northern) otherwise adjust for your seasons.





Good luck, if you succeed you can add "Clematis Tamer" to your CV! :-)
Reply:There are three different groups of clematis. Group one are early and mid-spring flowering species. Group two consists of the old-wood flowering clematis, the early large-flowered cultivars, the double and semi-double large-flowered cultivars and the mid-season large-flowered cultivars. Group three consists of the late large-flowered cultivars, the C. viticella types and all late-flowering species and the cultivated forms that flower on the current season's growth. Prune all group one clematis by pruning all dead and weak stems after flowering, generally in early summer, and any other growth that has spread beyond its allotted space should be removed or shortened. Prune group two by pruning all dead and weak stems in late winter or early spring and remaining stems should be reduced down to the highest pair of string leaf axial buds. All old leaves should be removed at this time. Prune group three by removing all stems in late winter to early spring. All top growth can be cut down to where strong new leaf axil buds appear at a point just above the base of the previous season's stems, at approximately 30-75cm from soil level. Any old dead leaves should also be removed. So depending on what type of clematis you have, that's how you prune it.