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Pruning a wisteria

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Pruning a wisteria

Postby Joanbunting » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:29 pm

M and I are having a bit of a difference of opinion over when to prune our wisteria.

The RHS recommends pruning in January or February so that you can see the flower buds clearly. I think that is a bit late because our plant flowers end of March ie much earlier than in the UK.

Any thoughts anyone?

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby jeral » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:48 pm

I don't know but it seems odd that anything gets pruned during frost as most shrubs are usually pruned either before or after, or after flowering aren't they?

Anyway, with big shrubs it's often recommended that if hard (drastic) pruning then one-third of the total shrub only is tackled each year (so that all will have been pruned at the end of three years). Perhaps you could choose a third to prune and divide it into his and hers so as to test to see how each portion fares if each is trimmed at a different time?

This link also suggests Feb but a further prune too in the summer: http://www.french-gardens.com/plants/wisteria.php

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:14 pm

Buddleia is also recommended for pruning in January-February

According to a professional gardener of my acquaintance you can do it at any time during its winter dormancy, and that is true of any plant that requires winter pruning - it's the dormancy that counts, not the date

So almost any time between it losing one lot of leaves and starting to sprout the new lot

Gardener's world seems to agree with him

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/pruning-training/how-to-winter-prune-wisteria/368.html

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Joanbunting » Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:01 pm

This morning the gardners where at the "Big House" and were pruning, among other things, the wisteria. Me being me I popped round and asked them if was usual to prune in December. There was a very French type shrug and he said " Whenever the leaves finally drop off, as far as I am concerned - you can see the flower buds anyway" He added "Of course if I haven't got time to get round all my clients I tell them it is best left until ....Jan, Feb" :gonzo

We have done the half along the balcony rails and left the bit that goes over the pergola until we get back - so we'll see

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Joanbunting » Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:12 pm

Well thanks for all the advice folks. Here it is this year!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62387678@N ... 9889868600

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:12 pm

Obviously it enjoyed it's trim!

Looking good :thumbsup

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Joanbunting » Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:49 pm

Hi Sue

It certainlly did and would be looking even better had the birds not feasted on the insects on the lower buds which, this year took for ever to flower!

Just remembered thought that the branches on the pergola were pruned well after the balcony ones - lesson possibly??

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby jeral » Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:19 pm

Yay, clearly pruning didn't do it much harm :) Wisterias are glorious in bloom aren't they? Are we to understand that the pergola one is faring even better? (Apols if being thick.)

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Re: Pruning a wisteria

Postby Joanbunting » Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:33 pm

No Jeral the balcony one is the star!!

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