Wisteria in August: monthly care

Wisteria demands disciplined pruning twice a year to control vigorous growth and promote flowering; without it, you'll have a mass of whippy green shoots and few blooms. The main pruning happens in late summer—July or August—after flowering finishes. Cut back the long, whippy side shoots (the current season's growth) to about five or six leaves from the main framework branches. This redirects energy into forming flower buds rather than more leafy growth and keeps the plant within bounds. The second prune takes place in February, during dormancy. Shorten the same side shoots again, this time cutting back to two or three buds from the main stem. You'll see fat, rounded flower buds easily distinguished from slim, pointed leaf buds; cut just above a flower bud where possible. This winter prune tidies the framework and maximises flowering wood. Use sharp bypass secateurs or loppers for clean cuts; wisteria stems can be tough, so keep tools well maintained. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches at the same time, and cut out suckers emerging from the base or root system—these sap energy and often revert to non-flowering rootstock. Train new growth horizontally along wires or supports as it appears; horizontal stems flower far more freely than vertical ones. Established wisterias can be pruned harder if they've outgrown their space, but expect reduced flowering the following year. Wear gloves; all parts of wisteria are toxic if ingested.