Re: Wisteria pruning - mastered

Dear Janet,

In reply to your second note I can relate that: I prune year round so that heavy winter pruning is not required. I do not touch the spur growths unless they are invading walking space along the verandah. Sometimes these spurs die - from being overshadowed I think, these dead growths are cut off flush with the adjacent live branch/ trunk/ stem.

Yes, we chose the closest (nearest/ shortest distance from the base) living branch to the ground and retained this as our saftey 'net'.

In this case the first strongest new growth came from the base of the plant, right at ground level - almost a sucker, then there was some weaker top growth. We adopted a double plan to train the strong new growth and encourage as best we could the weaker growth - but with the longer term plan to remove the weak top growth and allow the strong new growth from the base to form a whole new plant structure. This has largely been done, tho' one lovely thick, twisting, gnarled old trunk remains as part of the whole plant.

The vigorous new growth was allowed, and trained in position, to reach the wanted length along the pergola and tied in to cover the sides - and then we followed the same frequent snipping, nipping, pinching back, pruning programme outlined earlier. Within 4 years the flowering was pretty good - and the other trees were safe; the pergola was passable as part of the circulation plan of the garden.

I should add that this particular plant grows in deep, deep loam on the bank of a summer-dry creek. It has access to continuous ground water and the soil is sandy, loamy and friable. A deep litter mulch of stable litter and 'horsh' is applied annually - tho' on such an ancient plant, with a deep and vast root system I'm not convinced this makes much difference.

Hope this helps

trevor n
Trevor Nottle
Garden Historian, Garden Writer, Designer, Consultant
WALNUT HILL, 5 Walker Street, Crafers, SA 5152 AUSTRALIA
Tel./ Fax. 61 8 83394210
















































   



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