Summer pruning wisteria encourages the development of short-flowering spurs that will carry the long racemes of bloom in spring. The long vigorous shoots are cut back to a couple of buds from the base of the current season’s growth. During initial training of young wisteria plants, select a few strong shoots to tie into wires or trellis. Once you have created these, you can prune any side shoots back to this framework.
In this short video, expert David Hurrion explains how to prune wisteria in summer. He shows you exactly which stems to cut and how much to remove:
You Will Need
- Wisteria
- Secateurs
- Soft string or twine
- Ladder
Step 1
Use secateurs to cut back all the long shoots that have been produced during the late spring and early summer. Make the cut just beyond the second or third bud from the base.
Green, leafy summer prunings from wisteria can be added to the compost heap where they’ll rot down quickly.
