I trained my wisteria just over 30 years ago. I was very young and fearless, so I tried things out. I knew very few basic things, so I started removing anything I didn't like! She didn't object and rather flourished. Miraculously!
When I had bought her, she was the smallest and cheapest wisteria the little garden centre had. As I didn't have many pennies to spare (I was a student) she was just right for me. She was about 40cm tall, in a very small pot, tied to a thin bamboo stick.
I took her out of the pot- retaining the stick, dug a whole in the garden and put her in. All I did was water and...prune her. After 3 or 4 years, she started flowering and has become better with age.
I'm not a wise gardener; I just do things and, some times, they work!
Did you look at the link above that Obelixx sent? Advice from the RHS, I've copied and pasted it:-
Training as standards
Standard wisterias can be grown either as specimens in a border, or in a large pot.
Start with a young, single-stemmed plant, and insert a 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft) stout support next to it when you plant into the ground or container. This will be used to create the main stem of the ‘lollipop’ If planting in a pot, John Innes No 3 potting compost is a good choice of compost. Make sure the wisteria is planted to the same depth as it was in its pot from the nursery, spreading out the roots and loosening the root ball before planting. Choose a cheap container that is only slightly larger than the plant needs, potting it on gradually as it grows to fill its final display container Train the stem vertically up the support (this is usually stronger than twining) Allow the plant’s leader to grow unchecked until it reaches the top of the support and then remove the tip in the following February to encourage the formation of sideshoots Prune the sideshoots the following winter, shortening them to 15-30cm (6in-1ft) and repeat this process each winter to gradually build up a head Weak or misplaced growth can be cut out entirely, as can older branches if the head becomes too dense in later years As the head develops, prune in August as well. Cut off above the seventh leaf any shoots that are not needed to extend the head The following February cut back these shoots to 2.5cm (1in) of their bases, just as you would routinely prune a wall-trained plant.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Yes Busy Lizzie, I did read it, but it doesn't relate to what I'm trying to do. That says to start with a young single stem and mine is an 8-9ft cane supported vine. The main thing I'm trying to find out is if I can cut about 75% of the vine off down close to the graft. Will the main middle stem continue to grow if I keep a single side shoot on?
No. The side shoot will grow - to one side. Cut your main stem at the height you wish your standard to be and above a point where there is more than one shoot or you'll end up with something irretrievably lop-sided.
Last edited: 09 September 2017 14:58:18
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Obelixx is right. Yours is quite young if it's only 8 - 9 foot.
You needed this sentence "Allow the plant’s leader to grow unchecked until it reaches the top of the support and then remove the tip in the following February" - except in February you remove the tip to the height you want it to be. Why do you want to cut it close to the graft? You will end up with a lop sided dwarf. Don't you want a main trunk eventually?
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
after considering all the helpful advice above, I plan to repot my wisteria in November and cut the growing tip at the required height next February: anyone think that that's wrong?
I wouldn't know anything about keeping a wisteria in a pot but I always thought you could transplant potted plants at any time of the year, if you didn' disturb the roots. I was under the impression that winter time was ideal for trees/shrubs withe bare roots.
I allow plenty of side shoots to grow because mine isn't a standard; she's properly bushy but just four and a half feet in height. That's what I like.
There are plenty of beautiful and huge wisterias climbing up walls of many pubs near where I live. They're lovely to look at but not to have in my garden! I suffer from vertigo.
I like keeping her round-ish. When one side of my shrub grows a little taller than the rest, and I don't like it, I prune it straight after flowering. That's what my secateurs are for! I prune her when I think she needs it. I couldn't possibly treat her like a prima donna!
Thanks. I'm aiming for 5-6'. My only other problem may be that I've allowed mine to twine around its support so I don't know if and when I'll be able to remove it.
This is such an interesting thread. I've been thinking about getting a wisteria for some time but I would like it to be of a moderate size, like a medium tree. I think I might start next spring, following the advice of the rhs and Faidra's gutsy attitude I can't go wrong, I hope!
Posts
I trained my wisteria just over 30 years ago. I was very young and fearless, so I tried things out. I knew very few basic things, so I started removing anything I didn't like! She didn't object and rather flourished. Miraculously!
When I had bought her, she was the smallest and cheapest wisteria the little garden centre had. As I didn't have many pennies to spare (I was a student) she was just right for me. She was about 40cm tall, in a very small pot, tied to a thin bamboo stick.
I took her out of the pot- retaining the stick, dug a whole in the garden and put her in. All I did was water and...prune her. After 3 or 4 years, she started flowering and has become better with age.
I'm not a wise gardener; I just do things and, some times, they work!
Ok. A lot of amazing advice here
I'm getting closer to braving a cut. Would now be an ok time to prune a lot? I live in England, UK
Did you look at the link above that Obelixx sent? Advice from the RHS, I've copied and pasted it:-
Training as standards
Standard wisterias can be grown either as specimens in a border, or in a large pot.
Start with a young, single-stemmed plant, and insert a 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft) stout support next to it when you plant into the ground or container. This will be used to create the main stem of the ‘lollipop’ If planting in a pot, John Innes No 3 potting compost is a good choice of compost. Make sure the wisteria is planted to the same depth as it was in its pot from the nursery, spreading out the roots and loosening the root ball before planting. Choose a cheap container that is only slightly larger than the plant needs, potting it on gradually as it grows to fill its final display container Train the stem vertically up the support (this is usually stronger than twining) Allow the plant’s leader to grow unchecked until it reaches the top of the support and then remove the tip in the following February to encourage the formation of sideshoots Prune the sideshoots the following winter, shortening them to 15-30cm (6in-1ft) and repeat this process each winter to gradually build up a head Weak or misplaced growth can be cut out entirely, as can older branches if the head becomes too dense in later years As the head develops, prune in August as well. Cut off above the seventh leaf any shoots that are not needed to extend the head The following February cut back these shoots to 2.5cm (1in) of their bases, just as you would routinely prune a wall-trained plant.
Yes Busy Lizzie, I did read it, but it doesn't relate to what I'm trying to do. That says to start with a young single stem and mine is an 8-9ft cane supported vine. The main thing I'm trying to find out is if I can cut about 75% of the vine off down close to the graft. Will the main middle stem continue to grow if I keep a single side shoot on?
No. The side shoot will grow - to one side. Cut your main stem at the height you wish your standard to be and above a point where there is more than one shoot or you'll end up with something irretrievably lop-sided.
Last edited: 09 September 2017 14:58:18
Obelixx is right. Yours is quite young if it's only 8 - 9 foot.
You needed this sentence "Allow the plant’s leader to grow unchecked until it reaches the top of the support and then remove the tip in the following February" - except in February you remove the tip to the height you want it to be. Why do you want to cut it close to the graft? You will end up with a lop sided dwarf. Don't you want a main trunk eventually?
after considering all the helpful advice above, I plan to repot my wisteria in November and cut the growing tip at the required height next February: anyone think that that's wrong?
I wouldn't know anything about keeping a wisteria in a pot but I always thought you could transplant potted plants at any time of the year, if you didn' disturb the roots. I was under the impression that winter time was ideal for trees/shrubs withe bare roots.
I allow plenty of side shoots
to grow because mine isn't a standard; she's properly bushy but just four and a half feet in height. That's what I like.
There are plenty of beautiful and huge wisterias climbing up walls of many pubs near where I live. They're lovely to look at but not to have in my garden! I suffer from vertigo.
I like keeping her round-ish. When one side of my shrub grows a little taller than the rest, and I don't like it, I prune it straight after flowering. That's what my secateurs are for! I prune her when I think she needs it. I couldn't possibly treat her like a prima donna!
Thanks. I'm aiming for 5-6'. My only other problem may be that I've allowed mine to twine around its support so I don't know if and when I'll be able to remove it.
This is such an interesting thread. I've been thinking about getting a wisteria for some time but I would like it to be of a moderate size, like a medium tree. I think I might start next spring, following the advice of the rhs and Faidra's gutsy attitude I can't go wrong, I hope!