Okay, thank to all who have replied, but I am still so confused about this vine. I've read to cut it back, or keep it cut back to 18-24inches during the first year of growth. I don't even know how old this plant would be considered. I do know that I had one long spindly vine growing up the trellis, I had read that isn't what you want. So I decided to cut it back. But I was so scared to do anything to it. It still looks like the pic above, in this post. Except now, I've cut back that one spindly vine and I see nothing happening now. It looks just like it did the day I purchased it, weeks ago. Now it's not even climbing the trellis. I guess I'm waiting now for something to happen where I cut back, but don't even know what I'm looking for. I can't even tell what's what on this thing. Branches, twigs, hard wood, soft wood, last years wood, this years wood, leaves, buds, I couldn't for the life of me tell you where what starts and where what ends. It's a tangled mess, all down at the bottom. There are two or three main stems coming out of the dirt. I assume that's the start of each section of the vine. So I'm assuming, if I see three main stems coming from the ground, somewhere amongst all the tangled mess, there should be three endings, to each of those stems, in which I could train to climb the trellis if I could find an ending. I don't know, but maybe I should just leave it alone. It's not dead, it's green, I see one ending that might be showing new growth, but if it is, it's still only gonna be one long lanky little vine growing up the trellis all alone, because I can't tell where what starts and where what ends. I'd much rather sacrifice any additional blooming this year and have this thing put out new growth from the ground. But I don't know if I should chop this thing all the way to the ground or not. I just planted it this year, know nothing about it and have done nothing but stress since I got it. I guess if it starts growing again, and I do have that one piece start growing up the trellis, I should just leave it and enjoy it. If I knew that cutting it back all the way to the ground would help it in any way shape or form I'd do it. That way I can see it as it grows, where the starting and ending points are, if that makes any sense. Because as it is now, I can't tell what's what. Scroll up to see the pic of what it looks like and tell me what you'd do if it were yours.

With apologies to Jeanne who has a long growing season, many far northern clematis gardeners don't use the technique of growing for a season in gallon pots since our growing season is so short and the goal is to get the clematis as well established as possible before the ground freezes so that we don't lose them to frost heaves in the next fall or spring. I keep mine in their pots until danger of frost has passed and give them some protection on cold nights such as bringing them inside if they have been shipped from a warmer zone and are more advanced than my current clematis. Then I just plant them out in my garden in really good soil a few inches below the level in the pot as Jeanne said, and mulch them well and make sure they don't dry out. I haven't lost a clematis planting directly into the garden and most are blooming in the second year. They will grow above ground some the first year, but much of their growth in the first year will be below ground, establishing roots. The classic wisdom is that the first year they sleep, the second year creep, and the third year leap. Larger plants initially will grow much faster and fill in more quickly than smaller plants. As far as pruning in my cold zone, I can prune a type 3 like Jackmanii any time after early November, but usually do it on the first warm day in March or April when I'm itching to get out into the garden but there aren't many garden chores to do yet. Type 2s may be pruned by harsh winter weather (combination of cold and wind) and will only do the second bloom, though often I do get a first flush of blooms from where the vine was below the snow line or from plants in sheltered locations. I only have a few type 2's for that reason, but would love to hear how Ramona performs for you since I'd like to plant a Ramona in memory of my grandmother.

I already have run out of space. But there is no way I would move. After all these years working by butt off in the garden to finially get it too look like this. The idea of starting over is just impossible. I could never do it all again. And I love everything that is here, I could never leave it. I love dahlias when I buy them already growing in pots. When I try to do them myself I make a mess of it. This year I do have some dahlias tubers and have finially learned how I should be growing dahlias. I have been doing it wrong so no wonder I had no great success. But today I thought why all the bother. I don't start them under lights and started now, they might flower by July. Buy the darn pots and I have flowers now and all summer until frost. I think thats what I will do from now on. The Clematis are just sooooo gorgeous. I can't even begin to describe the color of the light purple. Of course, the plants locally were almost twice the price of the mail order ones. Thanks for the prunning group tip, I haven't gotten a chance to look that up yet. I have another obelisk in my basement for years that I had never ever put together yet. Looks like I am going to be needing it.

HU-665701964, Some things to check: Look for damage to the vines from critters or weather Check soil moisture. Is it soggy or dry or evenly moist? Some general questions: Do you know what kind of clematis it is or do you have a photo of it before it started looking dead or even one now? How long has your clematis been in the ground, or is it in a pot? Is it mulched and how do you decide when to water it? Where generally do you live? What has your weather been like recently? The good news is that clematis will often come back given care, though it may or may not be this season.