By Rogi
NRW,
Germany 
Good morning to you all from a sunny but cold Wuppertal.
My question is about my Clematis Jackmanii.
In summer it flowered well..I was realy proud of it. Then in October I put it in my green house for a few weeks.
I have read that the Jackmanii should be pruned back hard in winter. I have added some photo´s of how it looked today and I would like some advice if I should now prune it now or does it look too dead to do anything with it. Thanks in advance for any answers.
8 Dec, 2011
Answers
Hallo Maggy. Thanks for your reply. I have been to Fussen as well...a nice place....did you go to Neuschwanstein?. About the clematis, if you think it is still OK to plant it out I will find a place for it over the weekend..thanks again for the answer.
8 Dec, 2011
Provided the ground's not frozen, and you've already hardened it off from being the greenhouse, planting it out would seem to be the thing to do. I'm curious as to why you put it in the greenhouse in the first place though. Cut down to 2 or 3 'buds' from the base in midwinter, before 15th February. This assumes you kept it watered during its sojourn in the greenhouse though - if you think it might be dead because you didn't, I'd leave it in the pot and wait for signs of life - prune as I said anyway, and if its obviously alive, plant it then.
9 Dec, 2011
Hi Rogi Yes we went to the castle it is beautiful isnt it, we didnt go inside though as we had our two dogs with us and they werent allowed. We had travelled along the Mosel from Trier to Koblenz before we went over to Bavaria. You have a lovely Country we were there for six weeks.
Back to your Clem; I thought I had lost one of mine ! in fact it missed one summer but sprouted from the roots the next year! so dont give up, if you cant put it in the bed put the pot in a sheltered position and protect the pot so frost doesn,t get to the roots, you will probably notice the new growth in Jan or Feb; good luck with it.
9 Dec, 2011
That is just typically how clems look at this time of year, cant you plant it against a wall or fence? it would do better outside, the roots would be protect against the frost and they have to be kept moist.
The first year I would cut back to 12" and every year after that 18" that is to encourage more side shoots. I cut back in Sept you can do it now as all that growth is dead anyway. I would think you get about the same weather as us at this time of year! I know you do better in the summer as we are frequent visitors touring France and Germany down to Fussen in Bavaria anyway I transgress back to jackmanii lol.
If your ground is still diggable plant it against a fence as I have suggested about 12" down trim it first! tilt it to-wards the fence or support and fill, I would put some mulch around it, water gently if no frost. jackmanii is pretty sturdy and should do well.
8 Dec, 2011