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Deadheading wisteria?

Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
in Plants
My beautiful wisteria has gone over so quickly, due to the very hot weather and then torrential rain 2 days ago. it's now looking horribly brown and bedraggled and the petals are dropping all over the flower bed below, attracting slugs. I'm wondering whether to deadhead the blossoms as most are within reach on a 5 ft wall. Are there any disadvantages? 
North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone

Posts

  • gardeninglily1gardeninglily1 Posts: 424
    I think I would deadhead. They are only going to stay looking brown for a few days and then drop anyway. It might encourage a second show of blooms towards August/Sept (usually not as many and smaller) . 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No.   I have been clearing a solid feeling mat of rotted brown petals under my wisteria which has been smothering smaller plants trying to come through and making an unseemly mes of the path too.   Loads of slugs and snails lurking under it too.

    I've also given the wisteria an early haircut to remove the rest of the battered flowers and allow more light underneath and then given it a feed.  Should get a second flush of flowers in summer.
    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)."
    Plato
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Thanks Gardenlily1 and Obelixx. As soon as it stops raining, I will start deadheading. Fed up with looking at the sad brown mess.

    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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