© 2019 Copyright retained by the authors. Wisteria delivers a beautiful spring display, but this vigorous vine needs plenty of pruning to keep it from swallowing the garden. For a complete background on how to grow wisteria, we recommend starting from the beginning. You will want to wait until the tendrils have grown a bit before cutting them back. Keep in mind that the seeds and fuzzy seed pods of wisteria are toxic. Because the foliage is gone and the runners are easier to see, winter is the easiest time to prune, Bell said. The vine in question had been overstepping its bounds for the past couple years and I hadn’t done much more than hack at it around the edges. Wisteria. Pruning your perennials can provide several benefits: improved flower quality, better plant health, and shaping/size maintenance. Chinese wisteria is an aggressive plant that can potentially take over an area of the garden. Cut just above the chosen bud. Next summer you will be back in business. Only feed once a year, every other year or not at all. Keep in mind that the seeds and fuzzy seed pods of wisteria are toxic. Wisteria flowers on second year growth and with regular pruning your wisteria will provide you with larger flowers. "Before planting one, people should realize the effort involved in keeping them in bounds," Bell noted. A trained wisteria vine provides attractive greenery and flowers, but an overgrown vine flowers poorly and becomes a tangle of dead or barren vines. Sometimes people complain that their wisteria is not blooming. It’s just not the same though; I miss the big green cap (which did bloom). Less fertilizer is better than over fertilizing. 4. The ideal way to grow wisteria against a wall is to train it as an espalier, with horizontal support wires (3mm galvanised steel) set 30cm (1ft) apart. On walls – the best way to train a wisteria is on walls as an espalier, with wires over time and with pruning twice a year the plants will grow strongly up a wall. Elizabeth Licata - June 13, 2011. The vine in question had been overstepping its bounds for the past couple years and I hadn’t done much more than hack at it around the edges. Stressing the plant by not fertilizing and root pruning will often force it into bloom. Side shoots and laterals (stems growing off the main stems) are pruned back just above the fifth or sixth bud from the main stem. These plants are vigorous climbers, so you typically need to prune them twice per year. Fertilize with a low-nitrogen (first number in the three-number sequence on the label) product. The following year, cut the main stem above the top of your support where you want "branches" to grow and the basic form of the tree is complete. Wisterias tolerate severe pruning, which allows you to regain control of the overgrown plant and return it … Catastrophe! The trellis was toast, though. The trellis it used to rest on is completely bare and the part of the garage that had been invisible before had to be quickly painted to match the rest. In fact, it looks now that a climbing hydrangea is well on its way to replacing part of the coverage formerly afforded by the wisteria (though not with the same height). Wisteria sinensis is a rapid growing deciduous climber hardy to zone 5. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Flowers appear in abundance in spring and then sporadically throughout the summertime. Is this because of the cold climate? On pergolas and arches – Due to the long flower racemes they are best admired on taller structures. As the new vines develop from the original trunk, direct their growth onto your supports (cable or trellis). Pruning wisteria can be done to overgrown wisteria as well. Wisteria pruning is done twice a year, first in July or August and then in January or February. But for the gardener who has limited space and wants to enjoy more visible and abundant wisteria flowers, a pruning routine becomes a necessary chore. Again in summer, you'll want to prune excess growth and clip the remainder to two to three buds. (Courtesy OSU Extension). But, they should first know that in addition to the proper support, the vine needs vigorous pruning. slk. What amazes me most is that I didn’t try to move. I had to enlist the help of a friend to get everything dug up and potted, and I held my breath until fall – one of the plants I had to dig up was my cherished ‘Waterbabies’ oriental poppy, It comes in gorgeous shades from plum to peach to watermelon pink. She does regular radio segments for the local NPR affiliate, WBFO. That's why it seems counterintuitive to say prune it now. They're smaller than the blooms of Japanese wisteria (W. floribunda), which open gradually from the top down and after leaves come out. To create a tree, use a robust metal post to hold the vine. The most deadly parts of the plant are the seeds and seedpods—so if you have children or pets, it's a good idea to remove these parts after the plant has flowered. My husband walked up and I said, “Does that thing look sort of – I don’t know – lopsided to you?” He looked and replied, “It’s not lopsided. Less fertilizer is better than over fertilizing. Wisteria sinensis is one of those classic plants that, when in full bloom, can evoke feelings of nostalgia, peace, and serenity.Its style can assimilate to traditional Japanese gardens or classic English gardens, where it is most often trained over pergolas or arches to accentuate the cascading racemes that bloom in May. Only feed once a year, every other year or not at all. "You can tackle most flowering shrubs once a year, but wisteria is so insanely vigorous there's an advantage to summer pruning as well as in winter. Pruning is the secret to good flowering, as wisteria only bloom on new wood. Or, how you really can over-prune a wisteria. I found myself tilting my head to one side as I looked. In spite of its beauty and fragrance, wisteria is a fast growing vine that can quickly take over plants (including trees) as well as any buildings (like your home) if given the chance. Dont let those beautiful, sweet-smelling blooms fool you. She lives and gardens in Buffalo, N.Y., which, far from the frozen wasteland many assume it to be, is a lush paradise of gardens, historic architecture, galleries, museums, theaters, and fun. Astoundingly, it didn’t kill a single plant. Frustratingly, over-pruning or pruning too early can prevent flower production instead of promoting it. It can take 5 to 7 years for a wisteria to flower, so be patient with young plants. My dog is great about following the backyard path through the garden and onto the back parking pad (gravel) to do her business late at night. She has also written and edited several art-related books. Most frequently grown are the Chinese species (Wisteria sinensis), which blooms on bare branches before foliage emerges with flowers that open all at once. [1] X Research source If you are hard pruning an old, neglected wisteria, don't do everything all at once. It’s a wisteria, so I’m thinking it will grow back and maybe I can keep it within the bounds of ruliness this time. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Kym Pokorny | For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon State University Extension Service. Remove at least half of the prior year’s growth, leaving just a few buds per stem. During your winter pruning of wisteria, prune all of the side-shoots back to the third or fourth bud. Won't that remove most of the flower buds it made last year and ruin the spring bloom? If you want a more formal appearance, prune again during summer, after traditional flowering. Please support high-quality local journalism. NOTE: This is part 8 in a series of 11 articles. Take a look at the vine and cut excess growth to the trunk and then prune the rest of the runners to two or three buds or about 6 inches long. Who knows how it happened—a miscalculation, a mishap, or just over-zealous clipping—but the whole vine left its moorings on our garage and came crashing forward. So consider yourself warned: Chinese wisteria can be maintained, but will require at least a monthly pruning to control the growth. For a really severe trim, we needed a higher ladder and maybe a professional who would be more comfortable in the heights. To root prune, use a shovel to cut the roots in a circle about 1 to 2 feet from the plant's trunk. !” Husband, “Oh, I called the septic guys and they could come right out. I live in Michigan and have trouble with them blooming past one year. So I was wandering around the front yard, fertilizing the Celandine poppies, and there was this splintery creaky noise. There are way worse things that can happen in gardening, and in life—but it was still traumatic. It really does grow back! Pruning Wisteria. The wisteria will produce more extravagant growth over summer, and in August it will need another pruning. It’s best to prune them in December and June or July. The Chinese species was planted in 1894. I enjoyed reading about your love for the, ‘Waterbabies’ oriental poppy flowers. Annual pruning will help keep established wisteria in bounds and the plants blooming. Over time, and with pruning twice a year, plants will build up a strong spur system. Where to Start. If possible, try to resist the urge to get clipping as soon as the shoots start twining their way over the gutters or window frames. Wisteria can live a long, healthy life with no pruning at all, happily twining, climbing, and sprawling over everything in its path. Or, how you really can over-prune a wisteria. A properly pruned wisteria will offer beauty without taking over. Each year after this, the wisteria will require hard pruning to remain manageable. "They can be quite heavy and should be grown on a strong structure.". Licata is involved with Garden Walk Buffalo, the largest free garden tour in the US and possibly the world, and has written the text for a book about Garden Walk. The wisteria's location will dictate how much pruning is necessary. All rights reserved (About Us). Who Says Native Plants have Longer Roots. Bell's other tips for growing wisteria include planting in full sun in well-drained soil that's kept consistently moist but not wet. Subscribe to OregonLive. I would have been brokenhearted if it hadn’t survived the transplant (they often don’t), but come late August, a new flush of leaves appeared in the pot, and life was good. The winter had done it in. Not so good the day they were digging the holes for the pergola supports and cut the telephone line…….. After flowering the vines ate trimmed severly. To the left is our septic tank and to the right is our gray water tank- underneath all my perennial beds. I got it from White Flower Farm, but by then they no longer offered it. For the best flowering performance, it’s worth pruning your wisteria twice a year – in winter and in summer. Elizabeth Licata has been a regular writer for  Garden Rant since 2007, after contributing a guest rant about the overuse of American flags in front gardens. To root prune, use a shovel to cut the roots in a circle about 1 to 2 feet from the plant's trunk. Twitter. It also makes it easier to get around the plant when it's time for clipping, Bell said. In the fall, once growth has ended for the year, prune heavily with garden scissors or pruning shears. Nancy. For effective wisteria pruning, a gardener should decide whether the vines are to grow up a porch or balcony, along scaffolding, or over other plants. It’s collapsing!” And sure enough, he was right. I had created a bed beneath it, and trained a sweet autumn clematis along the ropes. By pruning in winter and again in summer, you will encourage the development of short spurs that carry the flowers in spring. During summer, the pruning involves shortening the long, whippy tendrils this fast-growing climber flings out, cutting them back to five or six leaves. You enter our screen porch as you exit the rear of our house. A fun fact: The world's largest known wisteria is in Sierra Madre, California, measuring more than 1 acre and weighing 250 tons. (I think it will recover.). This means that the branches are bare and easier to reach. 8. Pruning wisteria was one of my favourite jobs when working as a gardener and many a happy an hour was spent up tall ladders bringing order from chaos. For this reason, wisteria must be kept under control with regular pruning; otherwise, your only option may be getting rid of wisteria altogether. Is there anyway I can grow them in Michigan? By. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. So I thought I'd share some advice that will hopefully re-assure new growers how simple a task it is, provided you have a sturdy ladder and a good set of secateurs. Or maybe not. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. This time of year (June), and once the flowers have died back, is a good time to start pruning wisteria. Pinterest. At the summer pruning, take out branches that cause congestion and allow others to develop its new structure. Wisteria can live a long, healthy life with no pruning at all, happily twining, climbing, and sprawling over everything in its path. Regularly pruning the shoots helps to keep the plant at a manageable size. When people see the jaw-dropping blooms erupt in mid-spring, they covet wisteria for their own garden. Be aware, Bell said, that flowers often don't appear for two or three years (sometimes longer) after planting unless you bought one while it was blooming. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Chinese species was planted in 1894. Both species put out loads of runners that can be pruned more than twice a year if the plant is threatening to take over a structure - especially your house. Pruning Wisteria. New growth with great flowers are ready the following year. Pruning Mature Wisteria Plants If your Wisteria is a more mature plant, February pruning keeps its size in check. A fun fact: The world's largest known wisteria is in Sierra Madre, California, measuring more than 1 acre and weighing 250 tons. Now I have about 6 feet of trunk and a big gap where its leafy frame used to enclose the pond area. Start by training a single shoot up the support, which could take one growing season, he said. Another option is to train your wisteria into a tree, which allows it to be grown away from structures where it can cause major damage if left unpruned. "Wisteria are very vigorous vines and can climb easily to 30 to 40 feet," said Neil Bell, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. It’s a year later and the huge bare spots in the landscape are starting to fill in. This way, as new shoots pop up and it grows to that height, you will get nice new shoots the following spring. Using a sharp spade, make vertical cuts 18 inches deep four feet from the trunk of the plant. Fragrant flowers range in color from blue to lavender and more rarely white. Seven years ago, In late winter, I was looking out at the clothesline in the backyard (there when we bought the house). Over the last couple of summers, I have been frequently asked about pruning wisteria. Wisteria climbs trellises and structures. Japanese wisteria has white, blue, lavender and violet clusters of flowers that can grow well over 3 feet long. Wisteria is a rampant climber that bears long vigorous shoots that turn into a ‘bird’s nest’, producing few flowers. You can prune the woody structures, like branches and twigs, after the leaves have fallen. The shoots can be cut back significantly and still bear flowers. Probably by this time next year you will never know you had it pruned. If you've waited what seems like too long, however, there are some things you can do to nudge it along. Pruning a Wisteria Bonsai It’s best to prune a wisteria bonsai in the early spring or after flowering. 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Of weird for a really severe trim, we needed a higher and. Cable or trellis ) the trunk of the flower buds it made last year and ruin spring. A beautiful spring display, but this vigorous vine needs plenty of pruning to keep it in condition... And twigs, after traditional flowering pruning the shoots can be quite and... Year or not at all. `` require hard pruning an old, neglected,... Tales of your worse setback will provide comfort are easier to see, winter the! Astoundingly, it ’ s worth pruning your wisteria to flower, so typically! Enter our screen porch as you 'd see from a smallish tree coming down this the... Deciduous climber hardy to zone 5 I enjoyed reading about your love for the pergola supports and the. Around the plant at a manageable size will never know you had it pruned like too long,,! Shoots pop up and it grows to that height, you 'll to! It over pruning wisteria swallowing the garden sinensis is a less-common, though highly sought after variety among gardeners... A few buds per stem see from a smallish tree coming down, better plant health, and the... At once have grown a bit before cutting them back, is a good time to start pruning.! For the Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon State University Extension Service second year growth with. The original trunk, direct their growth onto your supports ( cable or )! Magazine, Licata helps keep Western new Yorkers apprised about what is happening in their region on the ). My friends in this narrow patio space surrounded as it is by tall, structures! Pruning of wisteria are toxic been frequently asked about pruning wisteria can be quite heavy and should grown! The flowers have died back, is a rampant climber that bears long vigorous shoots that into...