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HELP! We might have killed our wisteria :'(

customisedcolours89_rlFC3customisedcolours89_rlFC3 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hey everyone, I am looking for any glimmer of hope that we haven't just killed our beautiful wisteria, but I am increasingly concerned about it!

Long story short, we moved into our house about 3 weeks ago, it has a gorgeous wisteria that has been trained up the front of the house and under the front bedroom windows, I love it to pieces...! 

Last weekend we were pulling out the remains of a conifer tree that the previous owners planted right in front of the window (why...!!!) and cut through a chunky root. When we pulled the tree out the root was left behind and we realised it was probably the wisteria root that had dug right underneath the conifer. Since then it has dropped ALL of its flowers and the leaves are looking very sad indeed.

Is there anything we can do to keep the wisteria alive? We have been watering the entire bed in the hope that there are other roots lurking... any other words of wisdom??

Thanks!

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It should have more than one root so, given some TLC, should recover.  Make sure the ends of the root you have severed are neatly trimmed to reduce the likelihood of disease.

    Dropping flowers is a protective measure to conserve energy and moisture for foliage so try giving it a generous 15 to 20 litre drink of water, poured slowly so it soaks in and doesn't just run off.   

    Repeat this every couple of days and then every few days.  You can also help it along but pruning out any new whippy growth and any weaker older stems to reduce the amount of foliage it's roots are working to support.  

    Once recovered it should romp away again.
    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
  • customisedcolours89_rlFC3customisedcolours89_rlFC3 Posts: 2
    Thank you so much for your response, I'm really hoping that it was just the primary root and that there are others snaking off that we can't see, but it was so thick and woody that I'm concerned it was essentially the trunk snaking underground...

    I'll go and give it another good water today, and keep that up for a while. 

    Fingers crossed she makes it!!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Wisterias send their roots down deep which is how they manage to withstand drought periods but they need more than one good one to act both as anchors and to have smaller roots branching off which are the moisture and nutrient providers.    Yours should recover but will appreciate the help advised above. 
    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
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