Wisteria frutescens
lisa.fountain
Posts: 3
in Plants
hello, I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice. I have just been bought a rather sorry looking wisteria frutescens, I'm not sure if it's frost damage. Would I be best to keep it in the greenhouse over winter before planting it out, or is there anything I can do to perk it up!
Any advice would be much appreciate Thankyou.
0
Posts
It's just dying down for the winter and will eventually drop all its leaves.
I suggest, as it is clearly young, that you dunk the whole pot in a bucket of water till no further air bubbles arise and then you can either plant it out against a sheltered south or south west facing wall - maximum sun for optimal flowering - or, if the ground is frozen, keep it safe in your greenhouse till you can plant it out. They are hardy once established.
You will need to provide supports for it when you do plant it out and they can also be grown as standards with the upper branches trained out like an umbrella - google for images. After that, it needs pruning twice a year to encourage flowering. Have a look at this RHS page for info - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=242
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Thank you very much for your advice, the ground is frozen so I think I'll pop it in the greenhouse until it warms up a bit, very relieved to know this is normal. Is there any specific feed you would recommend for it when I plant it out or would it be best just to feed when flowering?
I give mine a generous helping of pelleted chicken manure in late winter but these are two large, established plants with thick trunks that flower their socks off for ages. I'd give liquid tomato food to yours as soon as buds start breaking. Make sure when you plant it that you add some well rotted garden compost to the planting hole and surrounding soil and water well before and after planting.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
That's excellent, thank you very much for this advice, I will do. Looking forward to getting it in now!