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Wisteria

purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
in Plants
I have planted a wisteria alba, this was in March, and as prompted by the plantsman cut it back by a third( it was a seven foot whip at that stage) and much to my supprise it flowered. Now lots of new growth , new stems trained and leafing well. The question is as it is not to size yet, do I still summer prune or just cut back again in March to encourage flowers. And by side shoots do they mean the ones with leaves or has my plant not grown enough yet to have side shoots. Slightly confusing advice online hasn't helped. Thanks in advance.

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Have you looked at the advice on the RHS site?  It seems clear enough to me and advises pruning in January and July.   Worked for mine in Belgium tho more Feb than Jan as it was usually way too cold.  I've inherited 2 in this new garden and they get a proper prune in January when I can see the framework of the plants and then I just prune out new long whippy bits as and when they get in my way (one is over a door) or stick out too far or try and sneak under gutters and roof tiles.

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=242

    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
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    My whippy bits are in the process of growing to cover the area I want it too. So if I cut it now and then again I will be back to where it started in March.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No you won't.   Cut it as advised by the RHS and it will grow in the direction you need and get longer each year.   The pruning technique is designed to promote flowering buds.  Have a look a my avatar.
    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
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    All the RHS site says is for full grown plants like yours. At the moment mine consists of four whippy bits with lots of leaves, so if they are cut not much plant left. 
  • Womble54Womble54 Posts: 348
    I found the diagrams on this site helpful for pruning in the first few years with our wisteria.

    https://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-wisteria

    Our’s is about 6 years old now and flowering nicely. I find I have to prune it 2 or 3 times over the summer to stop if covering the windows and spreading onto the roof or our neighbors houses.

    It took a beating in the wind a few weeks ago, but I’ve repaired the wire trellis and it looks like it’s ok.


  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    edited August 2018
    That is really helpful @Womble54. It clearly tells you what it means by main and side shoots,  I would have got it completely wrong as my plant has few side shoots yet so it is mainly whippy bits that need taming . Thank you very much.😁😁😁😁

    PS. Yours looks lovely.
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