Prune a Wisteria: [Importance, Time, Tools, Considerations and Steps]

Wisteria is a climbing plant capable of emitting beautiful purple flowers during spring.

In general, it is a species that is not very demanding when it comes to care, but it deserves an effective pruning to flourish with great enthusiasm.

Of course, it is not a task that you should carry out without any planning, but you must take into account certain data to achieve success.

If you have never pruned a wisteria before or want to know the most accurate steps to move forward safely, keep reading this post because we will tell you everything.

Why prune a wisteria?

The reasons why wisteria pruning is necessary are basically three:

1. Ensure that the plant maintains its shape and structure, as it tends to grow a lot in just one year of activity.
2. Reduce the possible impact that certain pests or diseases may have on the parts of the plant.
3. Significantly improve the quantity and quality of blooms.

When is it better to carry out wisteria pruning?

It is a species that develops abundantly throughout the year. It is recommended to do two prunings: one in summer and the other in winter.

The summer pruning will have to be carried out just after the flowering period has ended.

In the case of winter pruning, the right moment is in the middle of said season, since in the next few days the production of buttons will begin to flower in early spring.

What tools should we use when pruning wisteria?

To prune wisteria you will need a hand gardening shears that will be what will help you the most to clear the branches without causing inconvenience.

In some cases, where the branches are thick and hardwood in texture, it may be helpful to lean on a handsaw.

Both tools must be very sharp to ensure precision cuts and clean wounds. It is also mandatory that you pass them through alcohol or dishwashing soap before and after work to prevent the spread of diseases.

As extra resources for personal safety, it is a good plan to have a pair of gloves and protective glasses on hand.

What considerations should we take into account when pruning wisteria?

Previewing the wisteria from a distance will give you a very good idea of ​​the steps to follow at the time of pruning. Thanks to this simple trick it will be easier to determine the areas that are most abundant and that need more work.

You will also be able to establish what is the final result that you hope to obtain so that the pruning work is specifically oriented to that.

How to prune wisteria without damaging the plant?

Wisteria pruning can serve two main objectives: formation and maintenance.

formation pruning

The formation pruning is the one that is carried out when the plant is young and you have the task of tutoring it so that it grows according to your plan.

In this case, it is necessary to define the main branches that will be the ones that will be allowed to grow the most to serve as guides.

When they reach the correct size, they adjust to the surface where they will be guided and the rest of the branches are eliminated.

It is from the main branches that have been submitted to the tutor that the new branches will be formed and this is achieved only by blunting them.

maintenance pruning

It is the pruning that is carried out after the plant is already formed and has started its floral production cycles.

This will be the pruning that is applied twice a year: once in summer and the other in mid- winter.

The summer pruning you will have to work around the new branches that you see on the plant, counting up to 5 knots and cutting afterwards.

This pruning continues later in winter, where those same branches are reduced to 3 nodes.This process will add vigor to those young branches so that they grow strong and are capable of producing more flowers.

If the plant protrudes from the space you have assigned to it, you will have to reduce the number of branches so that it is the size you want. Glycine is very adaptable around this and its root system will remain whatever size is oriented in the aerial part.

If the wisteria has withered or dry branches, flowers or leaves, it is necessary to remove it immediately, even if it does not correspond to the pruning date.

With these instructions, you’ll be more than ready to give your wisteria some serious love and get it ready for the next bloom. Remember that pruning is not the only care you need to be in perfect condition, but it is one of the most relevant and you can implement it yourself.

• Prune a Wisteria: [Importance, Time, Tools, Considerations and Steps]