Suggestion for 
training the vines. 
(P, an Lag 
When the vine is growing in fertile soil, root and top pruning may 
be necessary in order to bring about early production of flowers. Pruning 
is used successfully with established vines which do not 
bloom. With a ten-year-old vine, dig around the vine 
eighteen inches each way, severing all the roots. Leave 
approximately twelve inches of roots each way from an 
eight-year-old vine. Replace the soil and water freely. 
Root pruning should be done about fifty days after the 
vine starts growing in the spring and may have to be 
repeated. 
Winter pruning or pruning during dormant period; 
Remove all weak growth, all dead wood, and shorten 
last year's grovrth to six or eight inches. 
Top pruning is done forty-five to fifty days after 
growth starts, removing one-third of the growth from 
side branches only. 
After a Wistaria vine becomes well established, 
there is a distinct tendency for the vine to rejuvenate 
itself by sending out vigorous branches from near the 
base, not necessarily from the understock. If it is desir¬ 
able to increase the size of the vine, it is well to retain 
a chosen few of these suckers, as they grow with tre¬ 
mendous rapidity, but if enough of these are permitted 
to remain, they will retard the production of flowers ma¬ 
terially. Retaining some of these volunteers from near 
the base is a method of rejuvenating your old vines. 
O^lanting instructions 
October, November and December are good planting months, as well 
as March, April and May. Many varieties and sizes are obtainable in 
pots however and from pots they can be transplanted at any time. 
Wistaria can be grown successfully whether your soil is acid or alka¬ 
line, light or heavy, sand or clay. Since flower production is hastened in 
sandy soil, it is well to mix in some sand before planting. Better still, dig 
a hole at least two feet each way or larger if necessary, and fill in around 
the vine with a mixture of sand and field soil. Set a young vine four to 
six inches deeper than the graft, and larger vines eight to twelve inches 
deeper. A graft can be recognized as a swelling just above the roots. 
Fill in with soil after spreading the roots and tramp firmly so there are no 
air spaces. A liberal amount of watering will promote rapid growth and 
is recommended for newly planted vines. Be sure to provide a depression 
where the water can remain until it is absorbed by the soil. 
Newly planted Wistaria are not likely to come into leaf promptly. 
Therefore, do not be uneasy when the vines appear to be dead. Excess 
watering is no help. Shading, or covering with burlap or thin muslin 
would be an advantage, especially when planting has been done late in 
the spring. 
A Wistaria vine of great vitality is likely to appear to be barren, 
especially if the location is particularly favorable for the production of 
lush growth. The influence of a vigorous seedling understock could delay 
production of flowers on grafted vines even if the scions are taken from 
flower producing plants. A flowering vine placed in good rich moist soil 
[ 7 ] 
