How to Force a Wisteria to Bloom

Wisteria has no problem growing. The woody vine will overtake anything in its way, even lifting homes off foundations. The whole reason wisteria is grown, though, is for the flowers. Wisteria has a reputation of frequently failing to flower. If your wisteria isn't blooming, first determine how old it is. The plant generally won't bloom for six or seven years after planting. Then, make sure you are giving the plant enough sun. Wisteria will not bloom if you grow it in the shade. If your plant is mature and gets enough sun, there are a few more things you can try to force it to bloom.

Bone meal
Rock phosphate
Rake or hoe
Pruning shears
Shovel

Instructions

- 1
  Pour 2 cups of bone meal onto the soil at the base of the wisteria. Use the rake or a hoe to scratch it into the top inch of soil. Water to a depth of 6 inches. In the fall, add rock phosphate, at the rate listed on the label for the size and age of your wisteria.
- 2
  Cut back the previous season's growth in January, leaving three buds on each stem.
- 3
  Trim the wisteria again in July, after the foliage has grown in. Cut the vine to the length you desire.
- 4
  Root prune the wisteria if it still won't bloom. Use a sharp shovel and drive it into the soil 1 to 2 feet from the base of the wisteria, slicing through the roots. Lift the shovel and insert it 6 inches away from the first cut and continue until you've cut a dotted line around the vine. This may shock the plant into blooming.

Mowable Ground Cover Plants

How Long Does It Take for Wisteria to Flower?

Groundcovers & Vines