Wisteria Pruning (Spring)

[lieuz]

In a month it'll be my wisteria's anniversary being in my care. I've posted some pictures on here last year but wanted to to post another one showing the condition its in currently. I wanted to get some tips from wisteria growers on how to prune wisteria in spring. Most of the literature I've found on pruning are for very large wisteria plants and are all grown in the ground. I wasn't sure if any of the literature I found, can be applied to a bonsai form of that tree. If I were to do what normal wisteria growers do in spring, I would be pruning the branches down to about 2 buds to encourage flower growth.

Here is a picture of my wisteria oct 31 of 2014.

I really like the shape it is in now. It bloomed last year so I know it'll definitely bloom this year. Can I leave this as is and still get amazing flower blooms, assuming that I will fertilize the crap out of this guy, without pruning it? Or should I prune it down to 2 buds, also fertilizing the crap out of this guy.

 

[Cadillactaste]

http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/wisteria-buds-swelling.14296/

Post #22 you will find quite helpful.

Photos of this while in bloom? Would love to see it.

 

[lieuz]

http://www.bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/wisteria-buds-swelling.14296/

Post #22 you will find quite helpful.

Photos of this while in bloom? Would love to see it.

You absolutely got it! Thanks!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Typically you prune wisteria after blooming. Flower buds were set in July-August 2014 for blooming in April 2015. If you took pix of the tree in bloom, it will help you see what to prune and what to leave; as wisteria is likely to flower from the same spot year after year; adding new spots until the tree is covered with blooms.

Looking at the photo, I took a guess at where you can expect to see flowers, circled in green, which you would leave; and made red lines at what appears to be vegetative/tendril growth from last year, which you could prune. Again, this is an exercise best left until after blooming to be sure.

 

[lieuz]

I wanted to post a picture showing last years bloom sometime around mid April. You can see that a lot of the old growth has been cut off and are now their own separate trees. Maybe this can help. I definitely know I did a lot to this tree this past growing period. The tree would grow crazy shoots and I would control it.

Mid April Bloom

Sometime in May, when I lopped off the big limb.

July 2014

Late August

So overall, I did a lot of pruning throughout the growing period and made a few branch selections. Will my pruning prove to be effective this spring?

 

[Cadillactaste]

I like it without the big limb...though from the angle you had it...I had no idea the rest of the top was that full! Looks good.

 

[lieuz]

I like it without the big limb...though from the angle you had it...I had no idea the rest of the top was that full! Looks good.

Thank you! I am eagerly waiting for it to bloom! But I really like you #22 post, it really makes me at ease because even though this tree is incredibly aggressive, you can't treat it like any punk on the street. There needs to be some amount of respect so the tree responds. I never underestimated this tree, I certainly know that if I let it go, it will probably buy a plane ticket out of the states. I could do better on the fertilizer, typically when is a good time to apply the fertilizer mentioned in the #22 post? None of the buds have swelled yet, we are looking at a full 12 days of temperature in the 50s and some days into the 60s, is it still a bit early to apply fertilizer?

 

[drew33998]

I let mine grow next to a tree or pole. Something that they can climb and really put on some girth. Don't know if you want to fatten yours up or not but thought I would share that. Also I hack it back and let it go again the next year. Just make sure to check to see if the roots are running out of the pot regularly so it doesn't anchor itself down if you do this.

 

[lieuz]

Update:

It's May the 4th (to those who know, may it be with you and with my tree) around this time my wisteria would have pushed out buds and leafed out quite a bit. The wisteria did push out buds but none of them elongated and they all pretty much stayed the same size, the size of a nickel. I have a humidity tray under the pot and realized as the temperature rose, a very foul smelling stench emanating from the pot and became very concerned because I know this smell and it's typically root rot. I haven't repotted the wisteria since I bought it last year because I wanted to wait until it bloomed and possibly push for one more bloom this year before I repot it. Well when I took it out of the plastic pot to check on the roots, everything looked fine. Roots were very very dense and really thick at parts. A closer analysis of the soil showed it to be quite dense and heavy in pine bark and quite a bit of organic material and it was at this point my fears rose. The bottom section was the part that smelled the worse had to go so I clipped the bottom portion, about 2 inches off the main root ball. At this point in time, I knew it's too late for blooms to recover so if I didn't do anything now, I fear I would have a dead tree. So, I decided to dislodge the roots and access it some more because if the rot was excessive, I could probably cut enough of it out to save other roots. My analysis revealed, the roots, other than the smell, weren't decomposing and were in sturdy condition. I tested the larger roots to see if they were intact and found them to be very sturdy, not soft and mushy. I took about 1/2 of the root ball and took as much of the old soil off the root ball by giving it a light spritz. I prepared the pot for the tree, placed a layer of river rock at the bottom and mixed in 40% akadama 20% pumice 15% haydite and 5% pine bark. Repotting was very routine, making sure I got the soil into all the nooks and crannies and eliminated as much air pockets as much as I could. I placed some sphagnum moss ontop as top dressing. It's been about 4 days since the repotting. I certainly hope my tree isn't dead, because all these blooms I see all over the place as I drive to work is really really saddening...

 

[GrimLore]

Update:

It's May the 4th (to those who know, may it be with you and with my tree) around this time my wisteria would have pushed out buds and leafed out quite a bit. The wisteria did push out buds but none of them elongated and they all pretty much stayed the same size, the size of a nickel. I have a humidity tray under the pot and realized as the temperature rose, a very foul smelling stench emanating from the pot and became very concerned because I know this smell and it's typically root rot. I haven't repotted the wisteria since I bought it last year because I wanted to wait until it bloomed and possibly push for one more bloom this year before I repot it. Well when I took it out of the plastic pot to check on the roots, everything looked fine. Roots were very very dense and really thick at parts. A closer analysis of the soil showed it to be quite dense and heavy in pine bark and quite a bit of organic material and it was at this point my fears rose. The bottom section was the part that smelled the worse had to go so I clipped the bottom portion, about 2 inches off the main root ball. At this point in time, I knew it's too late for blooms to recover so if I didn't do anything now, I fear I would have a dead tree. So, I decided to dislodge the roots and access it some more because if the rot was excessive, I could probably cut enough of it out to save other roots. My analysis revealed, the roots, other than the smell, weren't decomposing and were in sturdy condition. I tested the larger roots to see if they were intact and found them to be very sturdy, not soft and mushy. I took about 1/2 of the root ball and took as much of the old soil off the root ball by giving it a light spritz. I prepared the pot for the tree, placed a layer of river rock at the bottom and mixed in 40% akadama 20% pumice 15% haydite and 5% pine bark. Repotting was very routine, making sure I got the soil into all the nooks and crannies and eliminated as much air pockets as much as I could. I placed some sphagnum moss ontop as top dressing. It's been about 4 days since the repotting. I certainly hope my tree isn't dead, because all these blooms I see all over the place as I drive to work is really really saddening...

Rather aggressive treatment for a Wisteria and I will try to explain line by line -

Wisteria enjoy being damp in a free draining organic mix. To achieve that I use 50/50 straight old 2USD a bag of topsoil and Dry Stall(pumice). In our region they grow rather well in the ground along pond drainage ditches filled will natural mulch, nothing more, never fertilized.

Wisteria do not need fertilizer if the damp, draining, organic substrate is used. A common problem that can occur is when the pot is kept on a flat surface or in a drip tray. It does not allow damp but keeps the bottom WET.

You pruned, pruned, and pruned. "Some" roots were not only wet but no longer needed and "trimmed" themselves by dying off. At best you might have wanted to cut of the bottom 2 inches and filled the same pot up with 2 inches of straight pumice/lava/similar and simply put the plant back in. I am certain you understand why(to continue forward with minimal disturbance AND keeping it root bound).

They can be treated like street punks - given proper conditions and a total lack of care compared to a lot of other plants.

You "in my opinion" have given this one way to much loving. I am pretty certain it will live because they are tough but you really should let it "rest" for a year while it recovers, maybe even two... Patience and perseverance

Grimmy

 

[lieuz]

Rather aggressive treatment for a Wisteria and I will try to explain line by line -

Wisteria enjoy being damp in a free draining organic mix. To achieve that I use 50/50 straight old 2USD a bag of topsoil and Dry Stall(pumice). In our region they grow rather well in the ground along pond drainage ditches filled will natural mulch, nothing more, never fertilized.

Wisteria do not need fertilizer if the damp, draining, organic substrate is used. A common problem that can occur is when the pot is kept on a flat surface or in a drip tray. It does not allow damp but keeps the bottom WET.

You pruned, pruned, and pruned. "Some" roots were not only wet but no longer needed and "trimmed" themselves by dying off. At best you might have wanted to cut of the bottom 2 inches and filled the same pot up with 2 inches of straight pumice/lava/similar and simply put the plant back in. I am certain you understand why(to continue forward with minimal disturbance AND keeping it root bound).

They can be treated like street punks - given proper conditions and a total lack of care compared to a lot of other plants.

You "in my opinion" have given this one way to much loving. I am pretty certain it will live because they are tough but you really should let it "rest" for a year while it recovers, maybe even two... Patience and perseverance

Grimmy

You are absolutely right about the love giving. This tree was a gift from my fiancee and I try my best to give it that extra little attention. I want you to know, it took me about an hour to deliberate if I should just fill it with that mix and just leave that without disturbance or go full repot. But my impulse got the better of me, I understand I won't be so lucky with other trees if I did the same thing. I thank you for that reassurance.

 

[lordy]

I was at the Nat. Arb. in DC last summer and was told by "the boss" that he kept their wisteria in a saucer of water during the summer because they go through so much water. I imagine that early and later season the saucer is removed due to less transpiration.
I'm still waiting for my potted wisteria to send out racemes. My landscape version (easily 30 years old) is currently in bloom. I may have to repot the other one. I have not done that in the time I've owned it, about 4 or 5 years. I was under the same impression of them not needing much care. This thing should be blooming by now. Dammit.

 

[GrimLore]

I may have to repot the other one. I have not done that in the time I've owned it, about 4 or 5 years.

I have done several from cuttings and they do best/bloom best here if kept damp and very root bound in pots. Older collected can bloom the first year but often do not, cuttings can take several. It may depend on species, climate, etc... but on wild "farm" Wisteria here it is how it goes. I am collecting one to actually keep for myself this time in a few days and will document it exactly as things happen.

Grimmy

 

[mcpesq817]

I was at the Nat. Arb. in DC last summer and was told by "the boss" that he kept their wisteria in a saucer of water during the summer because they go through so much water. I imagine that early and later season the saucer is removed due to less transpiration.
I'm still waiting for my potted wisteria to send out racemes. My landscape version (easily 30 years old) is currently in bloom. I may have to repot the other one. I have not done that in the time I've owned it, about 4 or 5 years. I was under the same impression of them not needing much care. This thing should be blooming by now. Dammit.

Lordy, Mike Hagedorn had a similar approach to wisteria that he posted on his blog:

http://crataegus.com/2012/01/06/why-wont-my-wisteria-bloom/


I have a really big wisteria that is easily 30 years old or more. Bloomed all the time in my parents yard, but hasn't bloomed since I dug it up 3-4 years ago. I had to control the trunk rotting which is common with collecting big wisteria, which seems to finally have stopped. I'm going to try Hagedorn's approach this year and see what happens.

 

[rockm]

Blooming on wisteria depends not only on pruning, but on root mass. They have to be REALLY root bound (4-5 years isn't all that long). The more root mass, the better the chances the plant will flower. Stressing them out (which submerging their roots can do) can also push blooms. Don't be too anxious about flowers. You're probably not going to see them until you get the hang of pushing the plant to produce them.

 

[lordy]

I remember reading Hagedorn's article when this came up a year or so ago. It's a good read and I remember being entertained before as I was just now. Sounds like I'm doing most things right, even if by accident. I dont fert at all, but perhaps I should just so I can stop in July! I like stopping things in July. Like mowing, for one.
I have a good-sized landscape version that I always wanted to dig up, but maybe I'll save myself the trouble and expense. I'd need a pot the size of a baby's pool, and I'm not dropping a grand on a pot.

 

[symbiotic1]

The more root mass, the better the chances the plant will flower.

I'm curious if, in other's experience, the size of the pot also has an effect. Do these need a certain size of pot in relation to the tree in order for them to have enough root mass to create flower buds? Usually I see wisteria in semi-cascade pots that have some depth to them. I know that usually this is to accommodate the long racemes but I'm curious if the larger root mass allowed also plays a part? I have an old collected one that I and the previous owner never got to bloom. It's a 2-3' tall tree so it was put in a round, 2" deep bonsai pot. It should be plenty old enough to bloom but has never done it.

 

[rockm]

Definitely does. The more roots, the more mass and fuel for blossoms

 

[JoeR]

I saw one in Lowe's yesterday with a thick trunk, thicker than that one, but it was too tall to be used unless I could cut it to a stump. Nebari seemed pretty decent too. Think it was a 3 gallon container.

It's flowers were just finishing sadly.

 

[rockm]

Too tall? Nah, Chop it back. It will recover. BTW, buying a wisteria is a kind of funny exercise. They are pretty much free for the taking if you know how and where to look here in the Mid-Atlantic states. Substantial thigh thick trunks are not uncommon...