Will Wisteria Grow In A Pot

Wisteria can be grown against a house wall or another robust building, like a sturdy pergola. Wisteria can be grown in a container, but only if done so as a conventional tree and with regular trimming to keep its shape. This is a highly labor-intensive option.

How to plant wisteria

Wisteria can be planted in spring or fall. Plant at the same level as it was in the original pot and water in thoroughly after thoroughly preparing the soil to guarantee a proper root run. Like an espalier fruit tree, tie the stems to horizontal galvanized wires connected to the wall. Remove all but one stem if it is climbing a pergola, and tie this stem to the post.

How to plant wisteria in a pot

Wisterias can be planted in pots, but because they are hungry plants, you will need to feed them frequently. Choose this option only if you’re training your wisteria to be a standard. Use a quality tree and shrub compost and the biggest pot you can fit. Plant at the same height as it was in the first pot and give it plenty of water.

How to care for wisteria

The wisteria plant is ravenous. During the growing season, fertilize once a month with a high potash fertilizer to promote greater flower blooming. Weekly wisteria fertilizer and watering. Use organic mulch in the fall, such as well-rotted horse dung or homemade compost, to protect your plants.

How and when to prune wisteria

Wisteria should be pruned twice a year in August and February. Focus on integrating the plant into the support throughout the first few years. This entails cutting back side shoots to five buds in early August, training in strong side shoots, and removing very low branches.

How to prune wisteria in summer

Wisteria that is pruned in the summer will produce short spurs that will transport the spring blossoms.

Cut the long, robust shoots back from the base of the current season’s growth to a few buds.
Choose a few sturdy shoots from young plants (less than three years old) to tie to wires or a trellis.
Simply cut back side shoots on older wisterias to the base of your strong shoots.

Expert David Hurrion demonstrates how to prune wisteria in the summer in this little video. He demonstrates which stems to cut and how much to remove precisely:

How to prune wisteria in winter

By pruning both in winter and in the summer, you can promote the growth of the short spurs that bear the spring blooms. Anytime between late October and March is the dormant season, so do this.

Connect fresh growth to the main structure to increase its support
Cut back the remaining long stems sharply.

David Hurrion demonstrates how to control robust, leafy growth so it doesn’t cover budding flower buds in this video on winter-pruning wisteria:

How to propagate wisteria

Few gardeners cultivate wisteria; most opt to purchase a plant instead because it can take up to 20 years for a wisteria to bloom from a cutting. However, take softwood cuttings in the middle of April if you’re up for a battle.

Young stems should be cut into lengths and trimmed to 10 cm, just below a leaf joint.
Leave roughly four leaves at the top of each cutting after removing the lower ones.
Fill pots with cutting compost, then fill them with water and let the water drain.
Cover the cuttings with a clear plastic bag after inserting them into the pots so the leaves don’t contact.
Make sure the cuttings are kept moist by keeping them in a well-lit area.
Remove the bag and pot after growth is visible.

Growing wisteria: problem solving

Lack of blossoms is the most frequent issue wisteria gardeners encounter. Expecting blooms before the plant is four years old may be impractical because wisterias take their time to bloom.

David Hurrion provides tips on where to plant your wisteria, how to prune it, and how to feed it to get the most blossoms here.

Will wisteria damage my foundations?

In the spring, a house covered in wisteria looks magnificent. Can the roots harm your foundations, though? In our Quick Tips video, Catherine Mansley from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine explains:

In a pot, how big can wisteria grow?

Start with a pot that is just a little bit bigger than the one the plant arrived in when you want to grow wisteria in a container. As the container-grown wisteria matures, you should repot it. You may eventually require a sizable planter.

It is easiest to grow wisteria in a container if you get a single stem plant because it is simpler to train to one trunk. Install a sturdy stake or stick that is almost the same height as you while you are planting, and then train the wisteria in a container to grow up it.

As the stem grows, tie it to the support. Remove the tip when the stem reaches the top of the support. The potted wisteria will now begin to branch out in a circular pattern. Trim the shoots to about a foot in length every winter (31 cm.). The wisteria that is grown in containers eventually resembles a tiny tree.

Is growing wisteria in the ground or a pot better?

The wisteria vine has huge, stunning blossoms that, in the spring, smell quite delicious. The two most common varieties of wisteria plants are Japanese and Chinese varieties. The optimal conditions for this shrub-vine marvel are full sunlight and a garden pot or other container. It is very advised to start growing wisteria in a smaller pot and then ultimately re-pot it into a much larger planter when growing it in pots. A high-quality potting mix and sufficient drainage will do wonders for the soil.

How is wisteria maintained in a pot?

Wisterias grow a substantial root system. In fact, if it is planted too close to your house, the root system is so strong that it can eventually harm the foundation. What kind of container should you use to house this monstrous grower?

You should pick a pot that is just a little bit bigger than the one your Wisteria arrived in. You should avoid using extremely large pots for your wisteria since they contain too much soil and too much dirt absorbs water. The next year, though, you’ll probably need to repot up to the next size once again because Wisteria roots grow and spread swiftly.

Repot your wisteria frequently, increasing the size of the containers as it develops. You can cut up to one-third of the roots out of your Wisteria each time you repot it to help keep it under control.

When selecting pots for any garden plant, including Wisteria, drainage is crucial. You must ensure that the bottom of the pot you choose has at least one drainage hole. This prevents excess water from the pot, such as that from a summer rainstorm, from pooling in the bottom and turning it into a swamp.

On the other hand, stay clear from containers made of terra cotta or concrete since they draw moisture from the soil. These porous materials will cause your planter to dry out more quickly, which could result in a thirsty and dehydrated Wisteria.

Think like Goldilocks when it comes to container moisture levels. A container that won’t hold either too much or too little water is required. Wisterias require damp, but not wet, soil that doesn’t dry out during the hottest portion of the day. To ensure the proper balance, you must inspect the soil every day.

Whatever you decide, keep in mind that there is always a potential that the container holding your Wisteria will break or split. To keep your Wisteria secure in its pot, try to choose a solid material, such as thick plastic or a robust whiskey barrel.

How is wisteria kept in check?

Wisteria produces a lovely spring show, but this tenacious vine requires a lot of pruning to prevent it from engulfing the entire garden.

A gardener with the Oregon State University Extension Service named Neil Bell claimed that wisteria are “extremely robust vines and can climb easily to 30 to 40 feet.” They should be grown on a sturdy structure because they can be rather hefty.

People want wisteria for their own gardens after witnessing the beautiful blooms explode in the middle of spring. But they should first be aware that the vine also requires intensive pruning in addition to the right support.

People should be aware of the work required to keep them in check before planting one, Bell advised. “Most flowering shrubs may be pruned once a year, but because wisteria is so incredibly vigorous, summer pruning is also beneficial. The biggest error is not pruning at all.”

The Chinese species (Wisteria sinensis), which blooms on bare branches before foliage emerges with flowers that open all at once, is the one that is most usually planted. They are smaller than the Japanese wisteria (W. floribunda) blossoms, which unfold after the leaves emerge and gradually from the top down. The colors of fragrant flowers range from blue to lavender and, less frequently, white. Both kinds produce a lot of runners, which can be cut back more frequently than twice a year if the plant is in danger of taking over a building, especially your home.

Winter is the best time to prune because the leaf has fallen and the runners are simpler to spot, according to Bell. Examine the vine, trim any extra growth to the trunk, and then trim the remaining runners to two or three buds or a length of about 6 inches. Just above the selected bud, cut. Again in the summer, you should trim any extra growth and leave only two to three buds.

Another choice is to educate your wisteria to grow into a tree, which enables it to develop far from any structures where, if unpruned, it could seriously harm them. When it comes time for cutting, Bell added, it also makes it simpler to maneuver around the plant.

Use a sturdy metal stake to hold the vine to form a tree. It can take one growing season to train one shoot to climb the support, he advised. The basic shape of the tree is finished the next year by cutting the main stem above the top of your support where you want “branches” to develop. After this, the wisteria will require severe trimming every year to stay under control. The shoots can be severely pruned and still produce flowers.

Sometimes wisteria owners lament the lack of blooms on their plants. Be warned that, unless you purchased one while it was in bloom, blooms frequently don’t appear for two or three years (and perhaps longer) after planting. However, there are several things you may do to speed it up if you’ve waited for what feels like too long. Root pruning and stressing the plant by not fertilizing it will frequently force it to bloom. To root prune, cut the roots in a circle one to two feet from the plant’s trunk using a shovel.

Other growth advice from Bell for wisteria includes planting in full sun and maintaining continuously moist but not soggy soil. Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer (first number in the three-number label sequence). Less fertilizer is preferable to excessive fertilization. Feeding should only occur once a year, every other year, or never.

Fun fact: Sierra Madre, California is home to the largest known wisteria, which is over 1 acre in size and 250 tons heavy. In 1894, the Chinese species was planted.

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Is a trellis necessary for wisteria?

Wisterias thrive in full light, fertile soil, and both. Of the 10 species, three are grown the most frequently: Wisteria brachybotrys, Wisteria sinensis, and Wisteria floribunda, which are native to China, Japan, and the eastern United States (silky wisteria). All three species have significant growth rates and can extend out to a maximum of 20 meters (66 feet) against a wall or around 10 meters (33 feet) in trees. Wisteria can also be trained to grow as a free-standing standard in a big container or border.

Wisterias for pergolas and arches

The Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) is best exhibited hanging down from a garden structure like a pergola or arch since it has the longest flower sprays (or racemes) of all the species. They entwine in a clockwise motion while simultaneously bearing blooms and leaves. Lilac blue blooms and racemes as long as 1.2 meters (4 feet) are produced by Wisteria floribunda f. multijuga AGM in the early summer.

Wisterias for walls

Wisteria sinensis, often known as Chinese wisteria, blooms in the springtime before the leaves do. For example, Wisteria sinensis ‘Amethyst’ AGM has violet blue blooms with a reddish flush produced in dense racemes to 30cm (1ft) long in late spring or early summer. They twine anticlockwise and the racemes are shorter so they are best presented against a wall.

Silky wisteria (Wisteria brachybotrys), which can be grown against walls or on pergolas, with downy leaves and small racemes of 10-15cm (4-6in). White flowers with center yellow markings, a strong perfume, and 10-15 cm tall sprays of wisteria brachybotrys f. albiflora ‘Shiro-kapitan’ AGM bloom in the spring and early summer.

If you want to cultivate a wisteria in a big container

It is best to choose Wisteria fructens ‘Amethyst Falls’ because of its compact habit and rich clusters of lilac-blue blooms.

Always choose a wisteria that has been developed from cuttings or by grafting when purchasing one because seed-raised wisterias flower less consistently and take longer to bloom. The graft union should be seen as a swelling close to the stem’s base. Unlike species, named cultivars are virtually always grafted. Purchase your wisteria in flower or go with a specific cultivar to avoid disappointment.

Wisterias are offered for sale as container-grown plants at garden centers and online, and you can use the RHS Find a Plant tool to locate particular cultivars.

Wisteria should ideally be planted between October and April. Wisterias grown in containers can be planted at any time of the year, but fall and winter are the easiest times to maintain. Give them healthy, well-drained soil to plant in.

Wisterias bloom best in full sun, so pick a wall or pergola that faces south or west. Although blossoming will be diminished, they will still grow in light shade.

Wisterias are robust climbers that can grow to a height and width of more than 10 meters (33 feet). You’ll need to give support in the form of wires, trellises, or outside buildings like pergolas or arches against a wall. Wisteria can also be grown up a support or taught up a tree to create a standard. A wisteria can be grown in a border or container by being trained into a standard, which reduces its vigor.

If you want to grow your wisteria in a container, you’ll need a sizable one that is at least 45 cm (18 in) in diameter and is filled with potting soil with a loam basis, like John Innes No. 3.

Feeding

Use Growmore or Fish, Blood and Bone on your wisteria in the spring at the suggested rate listed on the packet. Additionally, apply sulphate of potash at a rate of 20g per sq m (1/2 oz per sq yard) on sandy soils (which have low potassium levels). Fertilizers for flowering shrubs or roses are another option.

Feed wisteria in containers using Miracle-Gro, Phostrogen, or another comparable flowering plant food. A different option is to add controlled-release fertilizer to the compost.

Although wisteria has a reputation for being challenging to prune, this is untrue. Once you’ve made it a habit to prune your wisteria twice a year, you should be rewarded with a pleasing flower show.

When you prune regularly, you reduce the excessive, whippy growth from July and August to five to six leaves, or roughly 30 cm (1ft). This increases the possibility of blossom buds budding and permits the wood to ripen. Then, in February, trim these shoots even more to two or three buds, or around 10 cm (4 in), to tidy up the plant before the growing season starts and make it possible to observe the new flowers.

When your juvenile wisteria has completely covered a wall or other garden structure, start the routine pruning to promote flowering.

Small gardens benefit greatly from the training of wisteria as a free-standing standard in a border or container.

Wisteria can be trained to ascend into a tiny tree’s canopy, however doing so could eventually harm the tree. Pruning will be challenging if the plant develops into a huge tree, and a dense leaf canopy will affect flowering.

Increase your wisteria stocks by layering in the summer, taking softwood cuttings in the spring to mid-summer, or taking hardwood cuttings in the winter since seed-raised wisteria can take up to 20 years to flower.

Wisteria is typically propagated via grafting in professional nurseries, however layering is the simplest and most dependable technique for home gardeners.

Established wisteria can produce hanging, bean-like seedpods after a lengthy summer. While wisteria plants grown from seeds are typically of inferior quality, you might want to try growing wisteria yourself.

After the leaves have fallen, gather the seedpods and let them ripen in an open tray.
When the seed is ready, twist open the pod and sow it 2 cm (3/4 in) deep in seed compost.
Before planting if the seed is dry, soak it for 24 hours.

See our commonly asked questions page for a summary of wisteria issues.

Poor flowering

Poor flowering is the most frequent issue for backyard gardeners, and it can be brought on by a variety of factors, such as:

Young plants can take up to 20 years to flower, so acquire a plant that is already in bloom or go with a certain cultivar because they are typically grafted to avoid disappointment.
Examine your pruning methods and timing because early and midsummer trimming will prevent the growth of flowers the next year.
Wisteria flowers best in broad light; deep shadow produces few, if any, flowers.
Water your wisteria during periods of drought from July to September because a lack of water during this time will influence the development of flower buds the next year.
Flower buds may drop before opening as a result of spring frosts, which can harm or deform growing flowers.
Applying sulphate of potash in the spring will encourage bloom production for the next year in soils that may lack potassium.
The damage caused by pigeons or mice can be identified by torn petals or distinctive teeth marks.