Ok, will do. Thanks for all the advice. I was actually really pleased with the plant when it arrived today as it looks really healthy and has flowers developing already. In hindsight, I should have bought one on a cane rather than trained on a trellis but I’m determined to make it work if you say it will. Thanks!
That's exactly what will happen, Lastboat, and crossing branches will physically merge together as they get thicker and become touching in a process called inosulation. Wisteria is well known for it. I think it has been trained like that to encourage it to flower earlier in it's life so it would be a shame to prune all of the downward-pointing branches off, which would probably be best if you want it to gain height as soon as possible. However, as Obelixx says, you will soon see some long 'leader' shoots developing rapidly and it is those which you need to train up the pergola.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Ooo, I’m excited now - an inosculated wisteria sounds far more interesting! Thanks Bob - I’ve got a much clearer idea what to expect now (and a new scientific term to use). Can’t wait to see my lovely plant again in the morning. Thanks all and goodnight... x
I’d just plant it in and not unwind it. I bought one of these and upset it unwinding it all. It hasn’t really grown very much compared to my other large wisteria.
Having taken another look at the plant this morning some of it unwinds a little bit when I remove bits of the frame but I’m concerned about the above comment. Anna, how did unwinding yours upset it?
Unwinding the stems will damage the tissues, especially just below the bark and they're the ones that carry nutrients and water to the rest of the plant. leave well alone.
Just remove the current sticky support by gentle teasing or else cutting it out bit by bit and then use soft twine to attach the brown stems to a new support, leaving enough room for growth and wiggle.
Don't overthink this. The plant wants to grow.
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Just remove the current sticky support by gentle teasing or else cutting it out bit by bit and then use soft twine to attach the brown stems to a new support, leaving enough room for growth and wiggle.
Don't overthink this. The plant wants to grow.