Learning to grow wisteria in different climatic zones

Wisteria, the care and cultivation of which in the subtropical zone is problem-free, in other climatic zones requires special attention. The second name is wisteria and it is one of the most beautifully flowering plants. Seeing once, one cannot help falling in love with a gorgeous liana with a waterfall of flowering inflorescences and a pleasant sweetish aroma. To have such an asset in your garden is the dream of every gardener.

Let me introduce

Wisteria is a plant that looks like a huge decorative liana, belonging to the legume family. It is mainly tree-like and deciduous, but sometimes semi-leafy, woody at the base specimens are found. The plant got its name in honor of the American professor of anatomy Caspar Wistar and in translation from Greek means "sweet". For decorative purposes, the plant is grown all over the world. But the main distribution area is East Asia and North America, mainly in subtropical zones. Also found in the forests of China, in the Kuban, in the Crimea, in the North Caucasus. In general, there are 9-10 varieties, but only two are grown in the garden - lush and Chinese.

It is a fast-growing perennial (trees live for 150 years), growing up to 18 m in height. The branches are represented by climbing vines. They are naked (sometimes there are specimens with pubescence) and drooping. The size of the plant is impressive - in the girth of the liana can reach 0.4 m. The shoots of wisteria are thin, painted green, the bark is gray.

The foliage of wisteria is pinnate, painted in a dark or light green shade, is arranged alternately and consists of 7-13 fragments, each of which has an oblong-ovoid or narrow-elliptical shape. In general, the length of the leaf reaches 30 cm.

Wisteria blooms twice a year. The first time - in March-May, the second - in the middle or late summer. Some species may have different budding times. Outwardly, the flower is a drooping bunch, consisting of many densely planted buds. On average, the length of the bunch is 10-80 or 100-120 cm. The flowers bloom from the base to the top of the bunch, emitting a delicate aroma. There is a snow-white corolla and a zygomorphic perianth.

The color of the buds is varied. Mostly pink, white, various shades of purple and lilac.

At the end of flowering, fruits are formed - pods measuring 15 cm, containing seeds of a flat-round shape, painted in brown-black.

When cultivating and caring for wisteria (photos of the most luxurious specimens are presented), you need to remember that some plants are poisonous, so you should be extremely careful and wash your hands thoroughly after contact.

Wisteria: care and cultivation in the middle lane

Unlike the usual wisteria zone, growth in the middle lane is problematic. Long and very cold winters can only save young shoots and rhizomes. Flowering also expects much to be desired - adult plants bloom only at 6-8 years of age. And where the summer is cold and rainy, you need to try hard to see the buds.

The ideal environment is a constant temperature without sudden changes, both day and night, as well as a lot of sunlight.

For good development in the middle lane, you need to create growing conditions and care for wisteria close to ideal.

Choosing a landing site and soil

Wisteria is a very thermophilic plant, therefore it prefers sunny areas and walls of buildings facing south. Open areas are not recommended; it is better to plant a vine along a high fence or under the wall of a house.

Achieve full and abundant flowering is possible only in bright light for at least 6 hours a day. In this case, winds and drafts should be avoided.

Wisteria is not particularly demanding on the soil. As a rule, it grows well on any soil, but black soil or rich loams are especially favorite. But a limestone substrate or a swampy one is completely unacceptable.

Planting and care features

The vine is planted in the ground at the beginning of June, having prepared a hole of 60 * 60 cm and having made it beforehand for digging mineral fertilizers at the rate of 25-30 g for each m².

To prevent the vine from rotting and getting wet, a good drainage layer must be laid on the bottom of the hole. This will further protect the root.

Like planting wisteria, care has its own subtleties:

1. After planting, the plant must be well watered.
2. You should wait for the adaptation, which lasts about a month. After that, the vine will grow and she will need to install a support.
3. In hot weather or during a drought, watering should be periodic and sufficient.
4. Spraying vines in summer is permissible.
5. When the summer period approaches the end, watering is reduced.
6. Rotten manure with water (20: 1) or mineral fertilizers (dissolve 20 g in a bucket of water) are used as top dressing.
7. When the foliage falls off, pruning should be done. It is also carried out in the spring during active growth.
8. Before the first frosts, the liana is removed from the supports, laid on boards located on the ground and carefully covered with moss, and then with lutrasil. Root areas should be "covered" with earth. This procedure is especially important for young plants.

Leningrad and Rostov region

Many gardeners choose a Chinese or multi-flowered variety for growing wisteria in the Leningrad Region and caring for it. Alas, this is completely unacceptable for this area. As a rule, the plant dies. If it is possible to grow a liana, then its flowering will be very poor - just a couple of frail inflorescences.

It is best to give preference to a hybrid variety with high frost resistance - "Blue Moon". It is a large-leaved variety that will not only develop well, but will also give excellent flowering. Planting is carried out with seedlings, planting in the ground with the onset of June. To prevent the plant from dying in winter, before freezing, the liana should be carefully removed from the supports and carefully insulated with lutrasil. They do the same when planting and caring for wisteria in the Rostov region.

Ural and Moscow region

Wisteria does not tolerate a temperature drop of more than 20 degrees. Therefore, growing and caring for wisteria in Moscow suburbs extremely difficult. There are special requirements for the safety of vines in the winter. The plant overwinters best when growing a crop in a container way.

It should be borne in mind that the "house" for the creeper is not required small - at least 40 liters. Plastic fonts, tubs, garden barrels are used.

The cultivation of wisteria in the Urals is similar. Yes, you have to work hard, but the result will surprise you.

With the arrival of autumn, before the first snow falls, the liana is sent in containers to winter in a warm room, where a minimum six-hour lighting can be provided. In this case, the plant should be watered once a week. Top dressing is excluded.

With the onset of March, the vine is moved to a bright room and watered well 2-3 times / week. Spraying with growth stimulants is allowed.

The practice of gardeners shows that even with seed growing of frost-resistant wisteria in the Moscow region and in the Urals, the vine will be able to give abundant two-time flowering (in summer and autumn).True, to begin with, you will have to wait a long time for the sprout to turn into an adult tree.

Siberia

Wisteria is incredibly beautiful. It is not surprising that absolutely everyone wants to see her. But growing wisteria in Siberia is almost impossible. Even a variety like Blue Moon, which can withstand 40 degrees of frost, bows to its environment. In addition to the mild and warm climate, wisteria needs a long vegetative period. It is he who is responsible for the abundant and long flowering. Climate Siberia cannot provide the necessary conditions. Even if you contrive and grow a liana, covering and protecting it at the same time from frost (providing a good shelter for the winter), and carefully making sure that the plant does not get wet, flowering most likely will not come. If a miracle happens, the inflorescences will be weak and single.

Belarus and Ukraine

These countries are in a much warmer climate than in central Russia. So summer residents can rejoice - they will be able to grow wisteria. Moreover, they can grow thermophilic varieties, for example, "Chinese".

Growing wisteria in Belarus, they prefer seedlings. At one year of age, they are planted in a sunny area when the soil and the environment are well warmed up. This time comes in April-May. Adult vines will bloom during the summer months beginning in late June. With the arrival of autumn, the plant should be well insulated.

Reproduction of wisteria

There are several breeding options for wisteria, each of which is good in its own way.

Layers

In addition to reliability and simplicity, the method is good because it conveys all the signs of the mother plant to the children. They take part of the shoots of the last year and, with the arrival of spring or autumn, dig a row of 20 cm deep near them, add nutrient-rich soil into it, and spill it well with water. On the shoot just above the buds, small cuts are made and the shoot is placed in a hole, remembering to pin it so that it does not come out, and sprinkle it with earth.

It is impossible to sprinkle the top of the shoot with earth, the plant will "breathe" through it. You just need to tie it to the peg in an upright position.

The shoot rooted in the leaf nodes is separated from the "mother" only after 1-1.5 years. If its root has developed strongly, it is immediately transplanted permanently into the ground, weakly into pots and sent to grow further.

Lignified cuttings

They are cut in autumn from the middle zone of ripe shoots. Each branch should have two buds and a length of 5-8 cm. After they are planted and kept until spring at 3 ° C. With the onset of April-May, cuttings are transplanted into containers with wet sand on the soil surface. Planting is carried out vertically to a depth of 4 cm, observing the distance between the cuttings of 10 cm. In the spring they are transplanted into pots and sent for growing. After a year, the vines can be planted permanently in the ground.

Winter root grafting

The method is very complex, but it conveys all the varietal characteristics. In the fall, seedlings with off-grade wisteria are dug, the root is separated (the thickness of the roots must be at least 6 cm), they are transplanted into containers with sand and sent to a cool place devoid of light. In December-January, they bring it into the heat. Two weeks later, cuttings of varietal wisteria are inoculated with a length of 6 cm, having 2 buds and a sharp cut of 2-3 cm under the lowest. A similar cut is made on the root-rootstock for a tighter contact. The vaccination site is well fixed with a plaster.

Next, the cuttings are planted in a container with a nutrient substrate, without deepening the grafting site, and covered with glass. Further conditions of detention: at least 15 ° C and humidity 80%. If everything is done correctly, shoots from the axillary buds should appear in two weeks. Well-rooted vines can be transplanted into the ground.

Wisteria from seed

You can sow seeds in March in open ground or in December in small greenhouses.In the second case, a mixture of leaf and sod land with sand (4: 1: 1) is used as a substrate. The seeds are simply spread over the soil and lightly sprinkled with sand, covered with glass and sent to a warm (at least 20 ° C) and dark place. At the same time, they control that the soil is constantly moist.

After a month, the seeds will hatch, after another 1.5 weeks they are brought out into the light, shading at first from the sun. When 2 pinnate leaves appear, a pick is made, trying not to damage the roots. In the future, such sprouts can be used for grafting. Please note that homemade wisteria from seeds does not convey varietal characteristics. Therefore, its flowering may not come or be very poor, even after 8 years.

As you can see, growing wisteria and caring for it in the middle climatic zone has significant difficulties. But it's never too late to experiment. Subject to all the nuances, you can grow a real beauty. Of course, not the same as in China, but its bloom will delight you.