Overgrown clematis - what do I do?

[Reluctantadult]

I've got a massive clematis Montana that's swamping other things out now. Underneath it's all dead wood. What on earth do I do with it?! I am not sure about cutting it right back, the neighbours have lovingly trained it on there side 😂

This is why I try to deter people from planting C montana on fences, gateways etc

Leave it for now. Let it flower next year and then right afterwards either carry on leaving it, or warn the neighbours and cut it right back. It will be back to massive before you have turned your back.

If you chop it now you'll lose next year's flowers but if you wait until straight after flowering it will be fine . I'd probably do it now but your choice.

Yeah, it was here before we moved in, I've not done anything with it for 6yrs and now it's a total beast!

Was wondering about trying to undercut some of the dead wood out?!

I think you’ll very soon wish you hadn’t started

We had a massive Montana, about 20 years old, that grew across several mature Silver Birches, it was beautiful. When we had the trees pruned the tree surgeons cut the Montana down. Fortunately it grew from the stumps and was on its way back up.
Cutting it right back will do it some good and then you’ll be able to control the growth. You will miss out next years flowers.

It's essentially a weed, you'd have to try hard to kill it.