February – How to prune Wisteria

Wisteria is another plant that’s perceived as difficult to prune.

Follow these easy steps this month and admire the full flower in May:

1. Cut back any wispy long growth to 2 or 3 buds from the framework, forming the desired short, flowering spurs (flower spurs are plumper than leaf buds).
2. Cut back by a third, new framework laterals.
3. On more mature plants, stagger removal of large branches over several years to avoid the plants making lots of new vegetive growth and few flowers.

Other plants to consider pruning now:

• Cotinus
• Berberis
• Any overgrown shrubs which need rejuvenation
• Remove foliage from Hellebores and Epimediums
• Cut back ornamental grasses.

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