Planting 12 ft Wisteria

Discussion in 'Trees' started by TomSparkes, Nov 28, 2020.

  1. TomSparkes

    TomSparkes Apprentice Gardener

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2020
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    Ratings:
    +0
    Good morning all,

    I am planning to plant two wistera (Kapitan Fuji) this weekend. I have a large Pergola I am planning to train them on. The plants have arrived and are around 12 ft, they are already trained around a thick bamboo cane. I was planning to plant them next to the vertical pillars of the pergola. With regards to the bamboo cane is it best to just to leave this and maybe attach this to the pergola structure as support? I assumed I would be bracing the plant myself against the pergola and didn't expect it to come already trained around a bamboo cane.

    Many thanks
     
  2. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2006
    Messages:
    60,998
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired - Last Century!!!
    Location:
    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
    Ratings:
    +117,297
    Welcome to GC :dbgrtmb:

    I would be inclined to continue to use the cane for support. It would be less disturbance for the plants.

    Good luck :)
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

      Joined:
      Jan 9, 2005
      Messages:
      47,718
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired
      Location:
      Mid Kent
      Ratings:
      +84,360
      Wisteria twine naturally so I'm assuming they are twined around the canes and removing them wouldn't be easy.
       
      • Agree Agree x 2
      • noisette47

        noisette47 Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Jan 25, 2013
        Messages:
        5,862
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine
        Ratings:
        +13,962
        It wouldn't be easy, no, but I'd do it anyway. The trunks of wisterias become so thick and woody that eventually the cane will be absorbed into the wood, but there's no guarantee that it will dissolve. I've got a similar situation with a W. macrobotrys Floribunda that wound itself round a metal upright. I left it too late to get the pole out and I can't help but feel that it won't be doing the Wisteria much good! I've known people with a similar problem when the initial stem was tucked behind a downpipe! The only solution was to chop the Wisteria down and start again, which is a pity!
         
        • Like Like x 1
        • Graham B

          Graham B Gardener

          Joined:
          May 19, 2018
          Messages:
          365
          Gender:
          Male
          Ratings:
          +491
          Having wisteria'd before, they're pretty bendy so they should be happy enough moving to a new support. The main thing is going to be not leaving them unsupported, because they're not that strong and if they fall under their own weight then the woody parts could snap.

          Just had a think about this. How about if you lie the plant on the ground, slide out the bamboo it's twined around, then tie the bamboo to the outside of the stems to support it temporarily? Then you're in a position to stand it up and plant it next to the pergola, secure it properly to the pergola, and finally remove the bamboo.
           
          • Like Like x 1
          • Agree Agree x 1
          • Freddy

            Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

            Joined:
            Jul 15, 2007
            Messages:
            9,461
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired - yay!
            Location:
            Bristol
            Ratings:
            +12,508
            I think I would try to unwind it from the cane, as long it’s practical to do so (without doing damage). Trying to remove the cane later on would imo be more troublesome.
             
            • Agree Agree x 2
            • Like Like x 1
            • Freddy

              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

              Joined:
              Jul 15, 2007
              Messages:
              9,461
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired - yay!
              Location:
              Bristol
              Ratings:
              +12,508
              Sounds like a good idea.
               
            • pete

              pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

              Joined:
              Jan 9, 2005
              Messages:
              47,718
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired
              Location:
              Mid Kent
              Ratings:
              +84,360
              You can probably get the cane out by cutting it into small pieces.
               
            • Graham B

              Graham B Gardener

              Joined:
              May 19, 2018
              Messages:
              365
              Gender:
              Male
              Ratings:
              +491
              The risk is that bamboo is relatively tough and wisteria stems are relatively weak. That could go very wrong, very quickly!
               
            • pete

              pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

              Joined:
              Jan 9, 2005
              Messages:
              47,718
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired
              Location:
              Mid Kent
              Ratings:
              +84,360
              Not if you are careful and use secateurs.:smile:
              Unwinding it could go wrong, which is why I suggested leaving it there in the first instance, it is afterall just a bamboo cane which will rot away in a few years anyway.

              Lets face it we cant see it to tell how thick the bamboo is or how tightly its in there.:smile:
               
              • Agree Agree x 2
                Last edited: Nov 28, 2020
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                Joined:
                Jul 3, 2006
                Messages:
                60,998
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                Retired - Last Century!!!
                Location:
                Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                Ratings:
                +117,297

                It's surprising how much plants can put up with from the absorption point of view!

                I don't think the metal surrounding fence did much of a job of restraining this tree :heehee:

                P1110428.JPG

                P1110427.JPG
                 
                • Like Like x 1
                • Agree Agree x 1
                • noisette47

                  noisette47 Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Jan 25, 2013
                  Messages:
                  5,862
                  Gender:
                  Female
                  Location:
                  Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine
                  Ratings:
                  +13,962
                  Aarrghhhh! Cruelty to plants! Like tree-ties that are carefully applied to new plants but never subsequently checked. I feel their pain..:sad:
                   
                  • Like Like x 2
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jul 3, 2006
                    Messages:
                    60,998
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired - Last Century!!!
                    Location:
                    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                    Ratings:
                    +117,297
                    I don't know how many years ago that fence was put round the tree but it must be very many decades ago :hate-shocked:
                     
                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

                    Joined:
                    Jan 9, 2005
                    Messages:
                    47,718
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired
                    Location:
                    Mid Kent
                    Ratings:
                    +84,360
                    I once cut a tree tie in the local park that had cut deeply into a tree.

                    Went back a couple of weeks later and the wind had snapped it off at the point where I removed the tie.:redface::biggrin:
                     
                    • Funny Funny x 1
                    • Friendly Friendly x 1
                    • noisette47

                      noisette47 Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Jan 25, 2013
                      Messages:
                      5,862
                      Gender:
                      Female
                      Location:
                      Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine
                      Ratings:
                      +13,962
                      I'm not surprised! Imagine leaving a tight tourniquet on someone's arm or leg for months.....
                       
                      • Agree Agree x 1
                      Loading...

                      Share This Page

                      1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                        By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                        Dismiss Notice