Heavenly Bloomer Misdiagnosed

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven ... a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Would you consider your Maple tree as an invasive and dreadful nuisance?
The number one sold shade tree in America and yet those whirlybird seeds can create a forest without some cleanup when they fall. No one plants a shrub around the foundation of their house without expecting to do some clipping to keep it in control. It is common sense to not allow bushes to cover up the windows or creep under the siding.

Good judgment and common sense are used to avoid problems.
Thousands of plants left unchecked, could be labeled as invasive. Yet with common sense and timely tricks, they are not the thugs you can be led to believe. To do away with one of the most fabulous heralds of spring would surely be a crime.

Wisteria in bloom is a blessing of spring.
You can keep this vine in check with a couple simple tasks. First use good sense when selecting where you plant it. This extremely fragrant vine can be trained as a tree with staking and grown in the open where it cannot climb desired trees or creep into your gutters. Plan ahead if you want to grow wisteria on a structure like an arbor. You want sturdy, metal construction that will withstand the weight and twisting nature of the plant.

You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
The right time for trimming a wisteria: a light trimming in July and a heavy pruning in October - January. To keep the plant from sending up running shoots simply prune the roots with a sharp spade to a depth of 18" all the way around the trunk at 4-ft. out. Root pruning should be done in late fall and also can make the vine produce more flowers with less top growth.

What makes most wisterias not flower?
In the north (zone 5 and colder), a harsh spring can freeze the buds forming in the stems. The most common cause of not getting flowers is the fertilizers used. Wisteria does not use nitrogen. To coax it to flower or even flower more profusely use a combination of root pruning and a heavy dose of super phosphate fertilizer. Another recommended method is a severe pruning in early spring, which can reward you with a bumper crop of blooms.