My poor Clematis, can I save it?

[polelynn]

Just gone into the garden. My clematis (potted), planted in the Spring, looks like this. It’s a Montana Elizabeth. Soil is damp to the touch. Watered regularly.

Can it be salvaged/do I cut completely back? Was looking a bit withered the other day but assumed it just needed a water.

Bump for the evening crowd.

It could be clematis wilt.

www.rhs.org.uk/disease/clematis-wilt

You might have to take drastic action- cut it right back and hope it regrows.

Sounds like it could be. I’ll hack it back and hope for the best.

Mine die back every year, I leave them and early spring prune to about 6/8 inches, has never failed so far. But this year, they have come alive, some have flower buds, it’s this unusual weather.

Mine die back in winter - have you had low night time temps? So far mine are ok.

Mulch round the roots with well-rotted compost , don't keep watering it as that creates a musty mouldy environment when the plant isn't growing. You may not see any further action from it this late in the season. Montana is quite hardy so it should be fine in Spring.

Montane wants to grow big, I’m sure it would be ok in a pot but it would be much happier in the ground, if you have to have it in a pot I’d swop it for one specially bred for pots. How long have you had it in that pot?

are the stems alive? Is it just the leaf that’s gone? If you cut it back now you might not get flowers next spring. If the stems are dead though you may as well chop it back to the base. Either way check the roots for vine weevil, give it a mulch of something nutritious, and give it a bit of time and space. They are tough things, I have clematis that have been moved multiple times to find the right spot in the garden.

Stems were dead too. I’ve cut right back, will mulch and see if it returns (not holding my breath) in the Spring.

I cut my Montana back to knee height in March. It's gown back completely with loads of flowers over the summer, I think they can take a lot of hacking!