Wisteria will bloom bigger and brighter next spring if you do one simple pruning job in October, according to a gardening expert. The task involves a delicate trim that encourages more flowers.
Why October pruning helps wisteria
Gardening expert and TikTok creator Ish shared his top gardening jobs for October. In a video, he explained that some plants, especially wisteria, benefit from a prune at this time. He said: “If you’ve had a second flower, giving it a prune after means you’ll encourage it to flower in spring next year.”
For young wisteria, pruning in late summer or early autumn helps the plant focus on support. For established wisteria trees, a simple prune encourages bigger and more vibrant blooms next spring and keeps the plant under control.
How to prune wisteria correctly
When pruning, remove very low branches, train in strong side shoots, and cut back side shoots to five buds, according to Gardeners' World. Cut back whippy-looking branches, as these won’t fare well during winter.
Leave around two or three nodes at the end of the branch to encourage regrowth. Also look for damaged stems, diseased stems with signs of fungal infection, and dead stems with a greyish colour—these can all be trimmed right back.
Protecting wisteria with mulch
To keep the plant protected, add a mulch layer at the base of the wisteria in autumn. This helps the plant retain moisture. Simply add a layer of multipurpose compost or shredded leaves to the base of the stem.
Ish said in a previous video: “Most people think it’s to protect the roots from the cold, but actually this is pretty hardy. It’s more down to retaining moisture. A lot of people forget to water their plants usually in autumn time, and actually this is the most prone time to drying out, especially with those colder winds coming in.”
