Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Help!! Wysteria argument !

Maclove998Maclove998 Posts: 6
edited April 2022 in Problem solving
Ok. I’m totally new to this forum. I’m not even a gardener. I just try to keep the garden tidy, I know a bit about pruning but then comes the Wysteria..... ouch 

When we moved to our cottage years ago we fell in love with the Wysteria tree, the fragrance the flowers... but found out it grows quickly... trouble is my other half never wanted to touch it, saying oh it looks gorgeous blah blah so I had to trim it myself, summer growth is pretty crazy in particular - not as much now I must say - perhaps I gave hacked at it too much ... anyhow I trimmed it year in year out. 

Recently Our neighbour didn’t want the Wysteria to grow over their side anymore which I understand, so today I cut some big branches that were crossing over... unknown to my husband.  

I’ve been accused of murder basically. 
I said there are still new branches some even coming out of the soil, it can’t be dead.  Some thick sections in the centre are dead wood but I didn’t do that.  He says nothing will grow from the chunky bits I chopped.’

i suggested perhaps getting rid of the huge stump and using the new branches next to it to grow a new one, that would be trained so it doesn’t grow crazy.  Could that be a solution ? I’m also worried that the stump area is actually supporting the house somehow. I know you shouldn’t grow Wysteria on a house, something we weren’t aware of when we bought it, just thought it added to it and looked so pretty..

Any suggestions ? Admittedly it looks awful just now these bare branches against the wall... Is it dead ? If not who can we call to try fix it, any gardener ? 

Thanks 🙏 
«1

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    firstly, Welcome to the Forum. 
    Secondly, don't panic. 
    Thirdly, can you post some photos to give a clearer idea of what's happening?
    Fourthly, there's no reason NOT to grow a wisteria on your house. There are milliions of them about the place.  ;)
    Devon.
  • Maclove998Maclove998 Posts: 6

  • Maclove998Maclove998 Posts: 6
    Sorry no idea why this uploaded sideways !! 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    it's certainly NOT dead. 
    Needs some tidying up to be sure.
    Devon.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Well I think you have cut off this years flowers. It is usual to cut back to seven buds in  July, and then to two buds in February.   New branches from below ground level may be from a rootstock so not flower as well or in the same colour even.
  • Maclove998Maclove998 Posts: 6
    Since winter, ie today I ‘only’ cut the bigger branches that were hanging from the left hand side onto the porch roof..  these had no buds on them, so I don’t know if I’ve cut something I shouldn’t have ... 

    i would definitely like all the ‘spaghetti’ on the wall gone /tidied.. is that possible at this stage since it’s a mature tree now ..
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    it can certainly be returned to a good plant. 
    I'd remove all the really thin bits growing at the base, and unwind what's growing around the down pipe
    I'd guess there are lots of videos on you tube etc, about training them. Might be useful?
    Devon.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    It's getting a bit late to be pruning now, it could bleed sap if you cut into a lot of heart wood.  You could cut some of the thinner branches to bring it level with the top of the lower windows, then let it grow and train on wires and then prune twice a year to keep it in check and encourage flowering.  I would not cut the thick wood at the base.
  • Maclove998Maclove998 Posts: 6
    It just seems that all that is left of the tree forthe most part, is thick branches without buds.... is that normal ? apart from the odd short branch/bud around the ‘trunk’  the only thin ‘proper’ branches are near the top of the window. 
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    So folk can see it better

     
    Rutland, England
Sign In or Register to comment.