Help! Overgrown clematis

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Aaah! I've completely messed his up so would appreciate any help.

We have a clematis growing in our yard. It's huge. Intertwined in it is some big thorny thing. So on the front of he bush is clematis and underneath is old brown rotting twigs.

We have a small yard. The clematis is growing up and across the entire width and into neighbouring yards. It is also blocking the small amount of sun that comes in.

I tried to start chopping it down/back. It is supported by beams that are on the top of a trellis. It won't come down. So I chopped it about a metre above the roots and it is still stuck. Dh has just come home and told me its the landladys favourite and she will kill us if it dies.

So my question really is how can I save it but at the same time keep it right back?

Does this even make sense?

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Bump.

[suburbophobe]

Ah, I´m envious! I love clematis and had a few but they always died on me (in pots, no garden).

Maybe this is your friend in need!

www.britishclematis.org.uk/

[cybbo]

I think clematis can take quite a bashing and still come back

Take your time to untangle and cut back all the stuff wrapped around the trellis beams and make sure the bottom of the pplant is properly supported as it grows

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Thanks for your replies.

I'll have another go at it over the weekend. thanks!

[bigTillyMint]

I have hacked clematis back to the bottom twigs/branches several times and it has always grown back. It's about the only gardening I'm successful at!

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Oh phew! Will it grow back by the summer do you reckon? This is about a metre or so think and 3 metres wide! It is blocking out so much sun but I don't want to destroy the crazy landladys precious plants.

[DowagersHump]

When does it flower?

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Summer I think.

[bigTillyMint]

Yep, if you do it now!

[DowagersHump]

Should be fine (it would be if it were a Montana too, it just wouldn't flower this year). Check the bits you've cut off and make sure you've cut about an inch above a bud and it'll be fine probably :)

For the bits that you want to get down, just chop em into chopstick length pieces. It's a bit of a dirty/dusty job so you might want to wear a mask if you don't like getting a load of bits in your mouth!

It won't grow back to its former size this summer but then you don't want it to!

[Cheeseandbiscuits]

Excellent thanks. It's going to take days! I think so long as its still there trailing a bit around the trellis we'll get away with it. She shouldn't have let it get so overgrown I guess.