The wisteria attracts everyone’s attention with its impressive flowers. The popular plant is an eye-catcher in every garden, provided it unfolds its purple-blue buds. Unfortunately, the failure to bloom is not uncommon, which leads to great disappointment for many gardeners. With the knowledge of the requirements of the plant in terms of location and care, the plant will soon appear delighted with lush inflorescences. Wisteria not blooming? If you need quick help, you’ve come to the right place.
Possible causes
- age
- wrong location
- unsuitable soil conditions
- wrong cut
- Care errors
- (avoidable) diseases
Age
The wisteria doesn’t bloom? Before care errors or diseases are considered, the age and rearing of the plant should first be checked. In the case of young plants, the lack of flowering is completely harmless. The first buds do not form until the age of two or three years at the earliest. Many varieties become manable even later, even after ten years. This is particularly the case with unfinished specimens. The gardener just has to be patient here.
Wrong location
The plant may not feel comfortable in the chosen location. Too little light restricts flower formation enormously, in a fully shaded location it does not occur at all. A place on a south-facing wall of the house is therefore ideal. It should be sunny, warm and dry. If these requirements are met and the wisteria does not bloom, it probably doesn’t have enough space. When planting, care should be taken to ensure that there is a spacious area where the plant can develop. If necessary, neighboring plants have to be removed or the wisteria moved.
Unsuitable soil conditions
Not only the conditions on the surface, but also the soil conditions must be taken into account during cultivation. A soil analysis serves as an aid and provides information about missing nutrients. Preferably the substrate is
- i get up
- rich in humus
- permeable
- moderately moist
- acidic to neutral
Too much lime removes it, making it difficult for the plant to absorb iron. A fertilizer brings quick help
- White peat
- Heideboden
- or cattle manure
Wrong cut
Wisteria is a very fast growing plant that will recover well from pruning. The shortening of the shoots is necessary from the first year so that the plant does not take on vegetative growth, which affects the formation of flowers.
Cutting instructions for the first two years:
- shorten the lower shoots down to two eyes
- Remove disturbing shoots (especially those close to the ground)
Pattern instructions from the third year:
- cut the new shoots in half in August
- the side shoots must not protrude beyond the main structure
- shorten the new shoots to four to five eyes in spring
- remove all old shoots
Care errors
The most common care mistakes are
- wrong pouring
- incorrect fertilization
- Repotting potted plants
Wrong pouring
One of the most common reasons for wisteria not blooming is insufficient water supply. If the wisteria does not bloom, the watering should definitely be increased. Permanent waterlogging must not form, but in summer it does not hurt to place a container plant on a bowl filled with water.
Wrong fertilization
As already mentioned, a profuse blooming wisteria needs a humus rich soil. This should be adjusted to the requirements with appropriate fertilizers. The most important thing here is when the fertilizer is applied. The suitable date is in July after flowering. You can then fertilize vigorously as a growth aid. Then the amount should be dosed again.
Repotting potted plants
The root ball creates the basis for a lush flowering of the wisteria. Repotting too often, however, damages its development. As a rule of thumb: Wisteria should only be repotted every five years.
Avoidable Diseases
Since the wisteria is a butterfly bloomer, the plant has so-called nodule bacteria on the roots. They have the task of supplying the crop with nitrogen by means of a symbiosis. Unknowing gardeners remove these rhizobia as they see signs of root cancer in them. However, the bacteria promote flower formation, so they should definitely be preserved.
Conclusion
The wisteria does not bloom and the disappointment is great. It doesn’t have to be. If you pay attention to the right environment and species-appropriate care from the first day of planting, you can soon enjoy beautiful blue-violet grapes. Pay attention to a refined specimen as well as an early flowering variety when buying.