By Lynneg
North Humberside, United Kingdom
Wisteria.I've had a wisteria for must be 7 years now without a flower.My problem is that I am never sure about pruning it.Seem to get different advice from everyone.Am now totally confused and wonder if anyone would kindly explain just how to do it.Many thanks
- 23 Jan, 2014
Answers
Thank you so much sophiesgard for your clear and precise guidance.At last instructions I can follow!.It is on a sunny fence so will prune next month.I bought it from a garden centre 'tho it was quite small.This will be the year of the great flowering!!
23 Jan, 2014
Ok, here's my version of pruning.
1) the first prune should be done in late july, early august when all those whippy long stems should be pruned back to around 6 buds or 6" long.
2) the second prune is done end jan, early feb and those 6 buds should be further pruned to 2 buds or 2"
It's as simple as that
24 Jan, 2014
Thanks Badfish for your comments.I will have big beautiful blooms this year due to helpful advice.
25 Jan, 2014
I'm in east Yorks too. where abouts are you? mine has never flowered, though it came from a flowering plant as a cutting and it is 17yrs old. given up on following pruning advice. I wonder what happens to them in the wild that allows them to flower. no pruning there!
25 Jan, 2014
Hi there. There are a couple of reasons why you don't have flowers on your Wisteria.
1. They take about 7-8 years to flower. If it was grown from a cutting it will take longer than if you bought it from a nursery as a reasonably big plant. this may mean that you might get some this year for the first time.
2. Pruning at the right time is vital. They should be allowed to grow to fill their allotted space with all new long shoots tied in to wires or trellis in horizontal lines. Once this initial skeleton has been achieved, it is then time to prune at least once but probably twice a year until the plant is well established. If you allow it to grow too much in the way of long whippy stems, it will put energy into leaves rather than flowers so you need to limit the amount of leafy growth in the following ways:
The first prune should be in February when all last year's shoots are taken back to about 3 buds from a main stem, leaving little stumps which will then produce flowers rather than leaves.
Second prune in late summer where you take back all the whippy growth to about 8 buds from the main stem. If you take off too much greenery, you will reduce the plant's vigour.
Repeat this every year and tie in long growth that you do need for the overall shape and it should be fine.
Wisterias are leguminous plants which means they produce nitrogen on their roots and in effect don't really need feeding but if it still continues to be a shy flowerer, give it a handful of Blood, fish and bone at the roots and mulch well with manure or compost after a good water.
I assume you have planted it on a sunny wall/fence? They don't like being in shade.
Good luck!
23 Jan, 2014