Topic: Poor old sickly Wisteria in a container

[Barkie]

I inherited a Wisteria growing up the south facing house wall which was planted in a brick walled container. The container is 2ft  x 2ft x 2.5ft deep and it may just be sitting on the concrete path. The rootball has filled it.

I topped up with fresh soil/ manure/compost mix last year and again this year to recover the fine white roots but the leaves are pale green to begin with, it flowers (pale blue) and then only the leaf veins remain green. It isn't a high wall so it has filled it height-wise. All the growth is at the top of a bare trunk twined across an untidy wire framework and hangs over.

I can't enlarge the container and I'm not as agile as I was for shinning up a ladder to prune and to unblock the gutter. I have been thinking of taking it down. Any suggestions on how to sort it out please or would you just call it a day and take it out?

Thanks, Barkie

[jjt]

It doesn't sound like a very good situation.  Is it actually nice looking?  If you can't manage the pruning....... and even if  you could, it might not help matters much.  If it was me, I'd have a serious go at pruning it, now, and then again in the winter. With a view to getting a better spread of growth.  I wouldn't bother doing anything to the rootball. Then I would watch the response, and decide from there.  But from what you say, I wouldn't really be expecting too much good to happen.  So on balance I'd say take it out.  Maybe grow a fig tree there instead?

[Digeroo]

I think that wisterias actually like lots of water yet we grow them against a building where it is rather dry.  Have to say I found advice about them confusing between they like lots of water, they do not like being overwatered and they can tolerate drought.  Mine has perked up since I sited a water butt next to it and let it overflow at times so it gets the odd really good soak since it does not rain much here it does not happen very often.   In fact it has decided to flower for a second time.

[Barkie]

I like it jtt but I can't say it is as attractive as it should be. I think I must prune twice whether I feel up to it or not as I found out after she went into the loft.

Digeroo, I've had to site my water butts next to it. I'm fairly sure I'm giving  enough water without overdoing it but who knows with a rootball this tightly packed.

Tonight's job is pruning  with the water butts and container in the way :(

[Barkie]

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

I'm still at a loss as to the origin of the chlorosis but I pruned it hard to get it back under control so I'll see what it looks like next spring. Having shared the hassle of pruning this time my other half now agrees that if it is more trouble than it is worth it would be better for me to replace it with something easier to manage.