There's nothing quite like the feeling of seeing wisteria in full bloom. From their beautiful colour to pretty petals and glorious scent, there's so much to appreciate when these classic flowers bloom.
If you want even more glorious blooms next year, now is the time to act. In particular, there are five easy things you can do to keep your wisteria healthy and happy.
'It can be tempting to leave a beautiful-looking wisteria to grow unchecked, but a good pruning routine, sensible training and regular watering will give an established plant the best possible foundation for a spectacular display next year,' says Amber Tunney, Plant Buyer at Cherry Lane Garden Centres.
We asked experts for their top tips on what to do with wisteria this August. From cutting back shoots to avoiding over-feeding, here's what they had to say...
1. Cut back shoots
'August is a good time to give wisteria its summer prune, as keeping on top of this can help encourage a better display of flowers next year. Trim back any long, green shoots to stop the plant putting all its energy into leafy growth and instead encourage the development of flowering spurs,' says Amber.
2. Check ties and supports
'August is also a good time to check ties and supports. Wisteria becomes incredibly heavy as it matures, so make sure wires, pergolas and other structures are secure and that ties aren’t cutting into expanding stems,' says Andrew Jackson, award-winning garden writer, designer and founder of The New Build Manifesto.
3. Don't over-feed it
'I would also resist the temptation to give an established wisteria lots of nitrogen-rich feed. That can encourage a magnificent display of leaves at the expense of flowers. If your wisteria is healthy but reluctant to bloom, too much feeding can sometimes be part of the problem,' says Andrew.
4. Water well
'Finally, don’t let it become stressed by prolonged dry weather. A deep watering during particularly dry spells is much more useful than frequently sprinkling the surface. Wisteria may look wonderfully effortless when it is dripping with flowers in spring, but some of the groundwork for that display is actually being done now,' says Andrew.
5. Keep an eye out for seed pods
'As well as pruning, look for any seed pods on the plant as you are pruning. Any seed pods should be snipped off the plant, as this stops it from wasting energy on producing seeds and redirects it to flowering instead,' says Richard Barker, horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture.
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