Do I Keep the Wisteria Cuttings Long or Cut Them Short to Root?

Length Matters

• Shorter wisteria stems root more successfully because there is less plant material for the developing root system to support. A 4- to 6-inch cutting is the optimum length, although you can take longer cuttings and cut them into the shorter length when you plant them. For example, a 12-inch-long wisteria cutting from a healthy stem can provide two to three shorter cuttings after you trim it down.

Select the Best

• Softwood wisteria cuttings taken in late spring or early summer, before the stems become woody but after the leaves begin to bud, root most readily. Choose healthy stems that are putting on new growth with no symptoms of disease or distress. A new stem tip that emerged during the current spring roots most quickly, but it's more prone to drying out during the rooting process. Keeping the stem short helps it stay well hydrated until the roots form.

Making the Cut

• Terminal stems, or the stem tips, usually root quickest. If you take long wisteria cuttings and trim them down into shorter lengths, the non-terminal portions, which are cut at both ends, are less likely to root successfully. Dip your pruning shears into a solution of one part bleach and nine parts alcohol to minimize disease problems and help the cuttings survive. Strip any leaves from the bottom half of the cutting before rooting it.

Pot It Right

• Immediate potting after trimming to the proper length helps wisteria cuttings root successfully without drying out. A rooting medium made of equal parts sand, perlite and peat moss drains well without drying completely. Moisten the medium, then insert the wisteria cuttings into the soil deep enough so they stand up on their own. Dipping the bottom cut on each stem in a rooting hormone can speed the process. Cover with a clear plastic bag and keep the soil moist so the wisteria stems don't dry. Wisteria cuttings usually root and begin putting on new growth within four weeks.