How long before wisteria blooms

Grafted plants can be detected by the visible bulge of the graft union near the base of the stem. Named cultivars are almost always grafted, whereas species plants may not be. Plants will dry out quickly, especially in a light or sandy soil, so keep plants well watered , particularly when newly planted and during dry periods.

Feed in the spring, with Growmore or Fish, Blood and Bone at the rate recommended on the packet. You could also use rose or flowering shrub fertilisers. Wisterias are usually thought of as climbers, but you can grow wisterias in containers, and train as a free-standing standard. This is particularly suitable for a small garden. Use a quality loam-based potting compost such as John Innes No 3.

Containerised wisterias can be fed with liquid tomato fertiliser, Phostrogen, Miracle-gro or similar flowering plant foods. Mixing controlled release fertiliser granules into the compost is another alternative. Regular pruning consists of shortening new growth firstly in August and again in February.

See our page on pruning wisteria for more detail. By taking the time to prune your wisteria, you will be rewarded with a much-improved flowering display. Seed-raised wisterias can take up to 20 years to flower, so increase plants by layering , taking softwood cuttings in spring to midsummer, or hardwood cuttings in winter. Professional nurserymen generally propagate wisteria by grafting , but layering is usually the most reliable method for home gardeners.

Wisteria sinensis produces its flowers before the leaves appear, which can look spectacular in spring, and has stems that twine anticlockwise. Wisteria floribunda bears leaves and flowers at the same time and has stems that twine clockwise. It has the longest racemes of all the species and is shown to best effect on garden structures such as pergolas where the racemes can hang free, unimpeded by branches or foliage.

For an overview of wisteria problems, see our page on frequently asked questions. The most common problem gardeners have with wisteria is poor flowering. This can be caused by a number of reasons, including:.

Sometimes a mature and apparently healthy plant will suddenly die and be replaced by a new shoot growing from the ground. This appears to be caused by wisteria graft failure. Less common is attack by root fungi like honey fungus or Phytophthora root rot , but wisteria is susceptible to both of these. Wisterias are also prone to scale insect infestation and may, more rarely, suffer from wisteria scale. Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9.

On a new plant, choose a sturdy vertical-growing vine to be the leader and remove other vertical vines. You can train the leader against a trellis if you are growing a vine or stake it if you are growing a tree.

Encourage side branches spaced every 18 inches or so to grow horizontally from the leader. Search for:. Roll Out a Welcome Mat Above: Plant wisteria in a protected, warm spot in full sunlight try to get this right the first time, because it does not like to be transplanted. Persistence Pays Off Above: Whether you want a tree or a vine, you should prune wisteria each year to encourage it to bloom.

And be patient: it can take two or three years of pruning to prompt it to bloom. Survival Instincts Above: Wisteria wants to bloom when it feels increased warmth from direct sunlight and when there is nothing above to climb. The Mechanics Above: On the leader, encourage horizontal branching. Wisterias usually bloom within three to five years of planting. Some wisterias can take up to 15 years. Wisterias planted from seed can take as long as 20 years or might never bloom at all.

Proper planting, pruning and care can accelerate the blooming process, though. To ensure prompt blooming, wisteria should be planted in a location that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day. The plants aren't particular about soil pH, but they do need a rich soil that is moist, but well-draining. A bushel of compost or peat moss dug into the planting site can fill this need. A 3-inch layer of wood chip mulch helps conserve moisture and keeps the roots cool.

One reason wisterias fail to bloom is cold damage. In coastal areas with cold, rainy springs, wisteria should be planted in a protected area. Because American wisteria blooms in late summer, it is rarely damaged by spring cold.