Climbers - what do I do when don't know what they are?

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

We've moved into a new house with a few climbers on the front... I'm concerned that they should have been pruned but I've got no idea what they are. Any tips on identification? There all a bit dead looking although they have buds so obviously not and all the pics I find online and in bloom. Thanks for the help

[NanTheWiser]

Photos would help, could you upload some? Maybe clematis, which is currently budding on "dead" stems...

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

Photos...

[shovetheholly]

Ha! It's hard to tell when they aren't in leaf. I think there's a clematis monana, a winter-flowering jasmine and possibly an ornamental quince in there. But I could be wrong...

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

Another pic

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

It's all very knotty

[Hippoinahat]

Did you happen to see the house when they were in leaf/flowering?
We're in largely the same boat, we have lots of apparently dead climbers all over the house but I know that a lot of them are clematis and a couple are honeysuckle. And one may be wisteria.
Best thing to do is just leave them this year, see what comes out and then you can prune properly next year.

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

We did so they were alive so I won't do any harm by leaving until after summer?

[shovetheholly]

If I'm right and they are the three I mentioned above, then the biggest danger is that they will be competing with each other! I actually like the tangly, wild effect but obviously you don't want one completely depriving another of light and nutrients. You'll be able to see more clearly whether this is a problem, I think, when they've leafed up in a couple of weeks.

The winter jasmine with the yellow flowers can be cut back after flowering in the next month or so.

The clematis montana is a real toughie, and can be chopped back once it has flowered in April/May.

The quince with the pink flowers needs to be pruned into an open, branched shape next winter.

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

Had a look online... Doesn't look like Montana based on pics. Any other ideas?

[funnyperson]

Agree, clematis, quince, winter jasmine
The winter jasmine should be pruned after flowering. I pruned mine yesterday.
The quince looks as though it is about to blossom so leave well alone this year

[DoreenLethal]

Is the ball thing in the middle pic of the first set a fruit? They are perfectly edible, if it is a quince and it certainly looks like one - you can harvest when they go yellow, cut up and remove the seeds and cook it down, strain and make into quince jelly. Yummy.

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

It does look fruit like, there's only 3 or 3 of them though

[shovetheholly]

Wow, good spot Doreen - it's not an ornamental quince, it's a QUINCE!

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

Definitely looks like flowering quince now I've googled it