Clematis trim

Q: I planted Clematis viticella ‘Alba Luxurians’ on our west wall, where it has been fantastic this year.  But now the flowers are going over and it has become very untidy. Would it harm the plant if I pruned it back in september, instead of late winter, as I usually do?


A: Such a vigorous plant will probably be unharmed by early pruning. However, cutting this soon may stimulate new growth which might have difficulty coming through winter. You may need to carry out a second trim in late January.