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Wisteria looking peaky

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Hello. This is my first wisteria's first spring/summer. It made a great start with lots of healthy-looking growth and even some flowers! However, recently its leaves have become paler and paler to the extent that some of the new leaves and shoots are almost white. Two or three of the leaves are brown round the edges. I just read yesterday that I should feed it with tomato feed every 15 days, so I gave it some yesterday and will continue with this, but I'd be grateful to hear if anyone has other tips on what might be wrong. Many thanks.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Wednesday, 28th September 2011

  Hello. I wondered what other people's wisteria is looking like at this time of year. Mine has looked 'sick' all year (its first spring/summer -- see below for earlier symptoms) and its leaves are now turning brown and dropping; it also has unhealthy looking, straggly brown shoots. Is it normal for wisteria to drop their leaves at this time of year? (it's still warm and sunny where we are in SW France), or is it finally giving up the ghost? Is there anything I can do to make it more comfortable? Thank you in advance for any pointers.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by anothergardener (U14387447) on Wednesday, 28th September 2011

  I have a new wisteria this year and it looks very healthy, I'm pleased to say, but I live in Yorkshire so not comparable conditions.
  
  I would guess that it hasn't had enough water, it would need a lot in its first year to get established, in a warm climate. All you can do now is wait and see if it grows next year.

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  Posted by Caradonna (U14447374) on Wednesday, 28th September 2011

  I agree with anothergardener, I live in France too and I think it was a very dry spring everywhere. It was then that your wisteria needed lots of water. It's too late to be feeding now but you can try a good soaking and lots of hope.
  
  It may still be warm but days are getting shorter so it's normal for leaves to start turning yellow and dropping.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Caradonna (U14447374) on Wednesday, 28th September 2011

  Ooops! Didn't notice that your first post was in May so ignore the too late to feed comment!

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Wednesday, 28th September 2011

  Hi and many thanks for the responses. It definitely wasn't short of water, as I watered it well and regularly. I have read in various places that they need a well-draining position as they often get water-logged, but I'm fairly sure it's okay on that front, too. As mentioned in my first post, after a great start in spring (even flowering), the leaves started to come through a very pale yellow. I was told this suggested a deficiency and that high-potash feed was needed. Tried that, but to no avail. It is a sad sight, but I was thinking of just trimming off the brown straggly bits and hoping for the best. I wasn't sure whether to try feeding it again or not -- any thoughts on this. Thanks again. I'm really at a loss!

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• Message 7

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  Posted by Caradonna (U14447374) on Thursday, 29th September 2011

  I think you will have to just wait until next spring and see if it revives. I'm no expert but I had exactly the same thing happen, planted one, it was happy and thriving in spring but during the heatwave and drought of that year (2005) it shrivelled and died.
  
  A friend bought me a replacement, same GC, same named variety and I planted that. It has romped but took 7 years to produce a flower!
  
  The encouraging point is that there was nothing in the soil that caused its demise but I would have followed AT's advice and bought one already in flower to save the wait(my first one was)

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Thursday, 29th September 2011

  Hi. Thank you very much for the encouragement! Yes, fingers crossed for next spring. I was a little confused by your earlier post, do you think it's worth trying to feed it again at this stage, or not? There were 'old' flowers on it when I bought it (strangely, as I thought they only flowered in spring, i.e. not late summer) and it flowered again in spring this year, so I'm not too worried about that aspect. At this point, it's more a case of just hoping it survives!...and if there's anything special I can do to try to ensure that it does. Thanks again for responding.

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• Message 9

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  Posted by Caradonna (U14447374) on Thursday, 29th September 2011

  I wouldn't feed mine at this time of year, in fact apart from the odd watering now it's established it thrives on neglect. As it will soon be losing all its leaves there isn't much point in giving it feed to encourage leaves or flowers but maybe something to encourage/nourish the roots.
  I couldn't think of a product but googled and this came up which might be helpful:
  
  Sometimes they do flower twice, it's never happened to mine but I live at 900m and a bit lower down I've seen them put out a second flush of flowers.

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• Message 10

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  Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Thursday, 29th September 2011

  Many thanks for the link. Yes, that last paragraph is very interesting; think I'll give it a go. Thanks again!

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