Best pruned immediately after flowering finishes, though we've been known to hack our over enthusiastic C montana down in late summer.

Thanks Moon...theres a lot of buds on there so il wait.

Agree enjoy the flowers then prune, and you can be ruthless if need.

The simple way to think about prunning such climbers is its the winter weather that causes such plants to get wind damaged/snow damaged and if its a real freezer of a winter and the plants not been cut right down to the ground and a good mulch put over the area "then the freezing conditions will kill iT?
It's a plant that flowers on it new growth, its the roots that need to be protected.

Dungy for group 1 clematis you cut back immediately after flowering. You do not cut down to the ground in autumn or you will have no flowers the following year.

You are wrong moon growe,
if you after spring flowering you cut the plant right down to the earth,
the plant will grow again and flower the next spring.

google montana and read for your self,

this variety if not clipped/prune just grows to a mass of tangled growth,
As i say read for your self www google montana clematis.

Dungy I advised Cooky girl to prune after flowering... that is not what you said in your first posting, you rabbit on about the winter weather...

Moon growe,
Thats because we prune to do the best for the plant
to stop it being ripped to bits and damaged by freezing weather "when do you think we have more of these conditions "moon growe"!!!!!!!!!!!!"

In the winter, thats why i gave the full picture of why we dont want to much exposed to these conditions.

Ive asked you to read up on the said plant via google and then come back and tell me and the world you are wrong,

But im sure if your not willing to stand up and say you've remarked about what ive said & your out of order & wrong
then all who read this can go ahead and google it.

Dont take it for granted your the bees knees when it comes to replies because your not,

You give quick two or three word replies and half the time your not helping anyone.
Have a look at the reply ref watering the tree roots you gave!
Not a word ref the the water getting down to the roots , not a word ref best time to water, or any sure way to know the waters getting to the roots.

If your going to start making remarks ref any advice i give you'd better know what your talking about.
Regards dungy.

Dungy I find your remarks rude and offensive. I have Cookiegirl the RHS advice on pruning group 1 clematis and also added that we have been known to hack our C montana back in late summer. The only thing I would prune in mid winter is a grape vine.

Right!! I just found this info on the web, so thanks Moongrow..... Group 1 - Certain species clematis and their cultivars which bloom early in the year. Some of the more commonly found representatives of this group include the Montanas, which are extremely vigourous in USDA zones 5 and warmer. Other clematis in Group 1, which are becoming more commonly available, are varieties of C. alpina and C. macropetala. These clematis will also develop into very large specimen plants over time. Another example in Group 1 is C. armandii and its cultivars. All of the Group 1 clematis bloom on growth made the previous year. They can be pruned to keep them within their alotted space, or to remove dead and unsightly foliage. Note however, if they are pruned late in the season, or before they flower in the year, you will be cutting off potential flower buds. They should be pruned right after flowering, if at all.

If I have to prune my montana I do it after flowering as the buds form on the previous years growth. My OH cut it down in spring once! he doesn't dare do it now.