Clematis jackmanii help please.

We have had this lovely purple clematis round our door for about 30 years and every year it starts with its new growth in spring to flower in August. Totally reliable. But this year in spring nothing happened.... until last week when it suddenly put out new shoots.

A neighbour has its clone and hers grew and flowered right on schedule, currently hers is a mass of purple whilst mine apparently thinks it is early May.

Any of you experts have any thoughts and advice on this weird phenomenon? Thanks for any help you can give.

 

welcome to GC JohnT
i have two one i trimmed back slightly,and like yours has only just started to bud,the other i left and its been in full flower for weeks.
did you cut yours back?

 

Hi Kathy, No I haven't developed schizophrenia, I've had to re-register under a different name following computer problems. I'm still JT.

In answer to your question, I have always cut back to ground level following flowering - and it has always come back on schedule. So does my neighbour cut back and her's always blooms end of July, beginning of August as did mine, until this year.

I don't think I should cut back this year in that all that is there are 2 sprouts about 2 feet tall but if you (or anybody else) knows different please let me know. I've never (that I remember) fed it. Perhaps a good shot of Growmore next spring would help? I'm baffled and thought at first that I had lost it completely. :confused:

John