HOW TO PRUNE WISTERIA

Wisteria needs pruning twice a year to stop it rambling its way up under your guttering and also to promote flowering.

✓ February

– Tidy up your plant by cutting back last year’s growth to around 3 buds.

– Reduce the height of your wisteria as necessary by cutting back the main stem.

– Untangle branches and train it by tying it to the support structure you have in place.

– Remove any branches that are unwanted, damaged, dead, diseased or congested to create a well-balanced plant that is clear of windows and guttering.

– If you are cutting back live stems to reduce congestion in the plant, cut them just above a bud.

– If you have an older wisteria that is a little out of control you can hard prune it at this time of year to remove any dead or unwanted stems.

– Use this opportunity to repair your supports if necessary – it’s much easier without the weight of the leaves.

✓ August

– Once your wisteria has finished flowering, cut back the new shoots to around five buds.

– Use this opportunity to untangle new growth and train your wisteria in the direction you want it to go.

– Cut back any unwanted growth near the base of the main stem.