August is a great time of year to do pruning, as many plants begin to fade. One plant which will benefit from being trimmed this month is wisteria, a gorgeous trailing plant recognised by its light purple flowers. Wisteria needs regular pruning, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to keep the growth and size under control.
Pruning wisteria will also help to “improve” the flowering display this year and next. Although it seems complicated, wisteria pruning is “easy” when following RHS’ simple guide.
They said: “Wisteria is best pruned twice a year, in July or August and again in January or February. Wisterias can be left to ramble unchecked where space allows, but will usually flower more freely and regularly if pruned twice a year.”
After flowering in August, gardeners should cut back the hippy green shoots of the current year’s growth to five or six leaves.
The experts noted: “This controls the size of the wisteria, preventing it from growing into guttering and windows, and encourages it to form flower buds rather than green growth.”
The removal of that growth in the summer allows better air circulation and more sunlight to reach the base of the new growth.
According to the pros, this encourages better ripening of the wood and improves the chances of flower bud formation.
In January or February, when the plant is dormant and leafless, it’s also time to give wisteria a prune.
Simply cut back the shoots you pruned in summer to two or three buds to tidy up the plant before the growing season begins. This also ensures the flowers won’t be hidden by the leaves, encouraging beautiful growth.
Rambling roses are also a great plant to prune in August, as long as they have finished flowering. This, like all pruning, will help to encourage new growth for better flowering results the next year.
