Except for a few late blooming varieties, your group 3's should be blooming or near bloom right now. Naturally, you wouldn't cut those back. If the vines bloomed in May and June, then those would be group 2's.

{{gwi:609428}}

So I would shear this fellow -Jackmani-back 50% after blooming period? Happy to do it. This is all new growth and more than I bargained for. Also a pooped out Henri to the right. Maybe, then afterwards I shouldn't feed them? Thanks--dazi

What a beautiful clematis. When do you get your first frost? If you cut it back in August and you are in a cold zone it probably won't have enough time to rebloom and shouldn't be cut back. I think the gardeners who cut their clematis back live in warm zones that have extended growing seasons and can get 2 or 3 bloom periods from their clematis.

Gorgeous Clematis Daisy..Only those in warmer zones can get away with pruning back this late and have blooms...When does your first frost come?..Jeanne

Thank you for the comments. I've never had an overly zealous climatis before. My first frost comes early, end of Sept.or early Oct. Guess I'll need to hold back a bit on the trim job then? -- his brothers are the same age and they are gently falling over the fence on the same side. Anyway I can see him from my kitchen window and he rather demands ones attention. An obviously male trait...