Things To Consider During August Lawn Chores

There are two types of lawns to consider at this time of the year - the old lawn that has been established for some time, and the new lawn that is being developed. Consider the latter... many new home owners are faced with establishing a lawn after moving into a new home during the summer months. It is entirely possible to establish a lawn that will survive the winter if there are as many as six weeks of growing weather left in the late summer.

Prepare the soil well either by spading or digging with a rototiller to a depth of at least six inches. Next level the area by raking, and prepare a fine seed bed. Broadcast the grass seeds either by hand or with a mechanical seeder and increase the recommended amount by one-third. The amount will vary with the kind of seeds, but from two to five pounds per 1,000 square feet is needed to insure quick results.

A light rolling and watering will insure germination of the small grass seeds. Frequent and thorough watering is necessary for the germinating and developing seedlings. As soon as the seedlings begin to send out their runners and mat, a very light feeding may be used, provided there is still as much as four weeks left before frost is expected. It is not recommended to add any plant food to the soil during preparation of the seed bed as there is the danger of overstimulating vegetative growth and the plants might be cold tender.

Mowing should begin as soon as the grass is three to four inches tall. This procedure will normally give coverage in six weeks' time. The period from August 15 to October 1 is recommended as one of the best times of the year to seed new lawns. There are many logical reasons for this.

For old, established lawns, the last feeding should be made during the first week of August. This feeding should be relatively light about 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet of area. Throughout most of the South, this has been a unique lawn year in that the early summer brought unusually heavy rains, rains of water-logging capabilities. This caused lush and coarse growth of many grasses. It also has caused the development of a shallow root system, so you must be on the lookout for signs of wilting and burning in the lawns. Thorough watering will check this condition and keep the lawn growing.

For lawn enthusiast who want a green lawn through the winter, lomandra breeze grass, try bent-grasses or bluegrasses as a permanent lawn grass. These require a great deal more care than Bermuda lawns, but are good in shade and are evergreen. They do suffer in periods of hot weather, though. A good way to get green lawns during the winter is to sow annual rye in the permanent lawn grass during August at the rate of about two or three pounds per 1,000 square feet. Water well, and at about the time of the first killing frost the seedlings will be of a size to transition into winter as a green carpet.

Proper mowing and watering practices must be maintained to keep the lawn well groomed. With the return of good growing conditions in the spring, the permanent grasses will crowd out the short-lived rye grass. This green lawn will add sparkle to an otherwise drab winter landscape.

For a greater understanding on lomandra breeze grass. Drop by today at http://www.plant-care.com/lomandra-longifolia-breeze-i809.html.

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Different Kinds Of Lilies For Amateur Professional Landscaper

Difficult or temperamental lilies. No doubt it will he helpful to discuss some of the specific vagaries of a few of our more difficult or temperamental

Lilium auratum is actually a very easy lily to grow and flower, but it is a rather difficult one to keep. This is largely be-cause of its liability to mosaic infection. Consequently it must be protected by relative isolation and by regular spraying. In my experience a planting depth of 8 to 12 inches is best, though if the ground is soggy or very heavy more shallow planting may be safer; generally the bulbs tend to find their own level and to pull themselves down further if they need greater depth. This is the one lily, more than any other, that rodents prefer; moles, chipmunks, woodchucks, all will go after them, and if your garden abounds in any of these it will be well to protect the bulbs. With these precautions, it is an easy-to-grow and magnificent lily.

Lilium duchartrei comes from the Tibetan borderland, and its problem is purely one of the right lo-cation. It is a beautiful early-July flowering lily with tall slender stems that bear tiers of recurred white blooms delicately flecked with violet. It seems to like a rather dry situation but at the same time one that is acid and well supplied with humus. In its natural environment it generally grows in full sun, but here it seems to prefer light shade.

Lilium formosanum like auratum, is easy to flower and highly adjustable to a wide variety of garden conditions. However, it is more liable to mosaic infection than almost any other lily and is quite often affected by basal rot. The precautions regarding both these diseases should be followed. Fortunately the bulbs are most inexpensive and so this lily can be handled as a biennial or triennial.

Lilium giganteum comes from the Indian jungles and its problem here is one of environment. It doesn't like our eastern and midwestern hot dry summers but is quite happy on the Pacific Coast. It needs quite heavy shade, though it likes some sun, and a rich black muck or loam to which humus has been added generously; it also likes water and more water. Strangely enough, it is tolerant of lime, and apparently.it is winter hardy though a mulch is advisable if you can,not rely upon a blanket Of snow. Young bulbs are more easy to establish than mature ones and should be planted with their tips at the surface of the ground.

Lilium japonicum is the loveliest of the pink lilies and one of the most beautiful plants in existence; but it is quite capricious in this country. Bulbs do not travel well and should be examined on arrival. It is highly subject to mosaic and should be more or less isolated and sprayed regularly with nicotine. Basal rot is also a problem, though not a major one. I believe it is more adjustable to environmental variations than is commonly supposed. Its natural home is in light shade along the borders of brooks, and it is advisable to simulate this rather moist location if possible. However, it also seems to do quite well in fairly dry soil and seems to like a location that suits blueberries. It definitely prefers an acid soil.

Lilium belloggi is from our own Pacific Coast and, though moderately difficult, is not nearly so capricious as some others from that region. It flowers around the beginning of July and the delicate pink recurred blooms, with their fine maroon flecking and the yellow stripe down the center of each petal, are unbelievably beautiful. It's probably quite susceptible to mosaic and it's well to run no risk on this score. It likes cool moist soil with plenty of humus, preferably woods soil. The ground should he shaded, but the stems should he in full sun. Dwarf azaleas or rhododendrons should be suitable companion plants.

Lilium martagon and Lilium martagon album are European lilies. The type is a soft rosy lilac, while the albino form is one of the most delicately lovely of all lilies. They are highly resistant to mosaic, so this is not a problem; but both are liable to basal rot infection. Disinfect the bulbs before planting and do not plant them where lilies have previously rotted. They seem to prefer a rather heavy loam that is well limed and supplied with humus. Drainage is imperative and manure should be avoided.

Lilium nepalense comes from the Himalayas and is so little known here that it is difficult to give specific requirements. It should be perfectly hardy, even more so than in England where it is widely grown in the open. The main difficulty with it seems to be due to its wandering stem, which often travels underground so far that the mother bulb is exhausted before the stem finally emerges. Gravel placed directly under the bulb and a collar of zinc around it will help. If the bulbs are planted close to the surface and the soil filled in around them as they begin to emerge, this wandering tend-ency can be more or less controlled. This may seem like a good deal of bother, but nepalense is a very rare lily and a real beauty which many gardeners are anxious to grow.

Lilium philadelphicum is our eastern woodland lily and is fairly widespread, but it is not easy in cultivation. It prefers a dry, almost parched, highly acid soil and is better for some shade, though it is commonly seen growing in full and brilliant sun in the cinders of a railway embankment. It is liable to mosaic infection and to be kept should be given relative isolation.

Lilium testaceum is a famous lily and a beauty, and there never have been enough bulbs for all those who want them. Its difficulty is due to its liability to basal rot. New bulbs should be examined closely and should be disinfected before they are planted. Avoid a location where other bulbs have rotted and don't use manure for at least several years after planting; after that it may be tried if thoroughly rotted, though it's just as well avoided. It's advisable to disinfect soil in which testaceum 13 to grow if there's any question of there being basal rot spores in the ground. With this lily, large bulbs are preferable to small ones.

Lilium wardi are cool outdoor plants that originated from Tibet and is closely related to Lilium duchartrei; although the latter prefers shaded areas as a flowering house plant. It flowers in August and the color is soft rose flecked with purple. It seems to prefer a highly acid soil with an ample supply of humus, but it cannot stand too much moisture. It is liable to mosaic infection and should be given both relative isolation and regular spraying to prevent trouble from the virus.

Lilium washingtonianum is another West Coast lily and has similar requirements to Lilium kellogg', though it prefers a stiffer loam. Bulbs do not always travel well and it is frequently injured byt mosaic, from which it should be guarded.

Keith Markensen shares his vast knowledge at http://www.plant-care.com. Knowledge is power - get more power and find out more about cool outdoor plants.

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Front Yard Landscape

On most properties the approach area was planted for the benefit of people directly facing the front door from the street. The picture was balanced on each side of the line for best effect. For practical reasons, the service area was directly connected to the kitchen or service entrance, which was usually at the back of the house. The recreation or garden area was most frequently seen from some door or window of the living or dining room as people did not consider the first purpose for a garden to be a place for outdoor living. In older houses this arrangement is still suitable.

The plan of our modern homes, however, does not lend itself to this obvious axial arrangement. Architecture has changed from the symmetrical and decorative to a structural mass for functional purposes. We must think of our gardens as comfortable living areas rather than only for decoration.

In addition to a direct approach from the front, we must consider the angle view from the garage or parking area. The service entrance and kitchen window are now often at the front of the house where they have no connection with the service area or where we keep the garbage area. Unfortunately, the living-room window often faces the street so that the garden is usually seen from a patio, two sides of which are formed by two walls of the house. The main view is therefore on an angle to the house. Yet some windows of the living quarters should overlook the garden and these lines of view must also be considered.

The rectangular, axial development of the garden is no longer suitable for most homes. The garden must still be planned on a balance of interest on either side of principal lines of view but these lines cannot be so rigidly fixed as they used to be. Each line of view should still end in a particular point of interest, where we turn in another direction to start the next line of view, but these changes of direction are not necessarily at right angles.

Divisions and paths - As the rooms of a house or patio landscaping are separated by partitions, which define areas used for different purposes, so the various areas of a large garden or landscaping around a patio need to be divided from each other. Screens, hedges, shrubbery or surface coverings can be used to make each part stand out. Our minds dislike confusion, so we appreciate each area more when we see it alone or understand its purpose.

The location of the entrance, service and recreation areas on a landscape plan, should be connected to the house and to each other by a system of circulation to give continuity, is the skeleton around which the garden is developed.

The location of the entrance, service and recreation areas on a landscape plan, should be connected to the house and to each other by a system of circulation to give continuity, is the skeleton around which the garden is developed.

Kent Higgins shares his vast knowledge at http://www.plant-care.com. There are lots of information you can learn on landscaping around a patio.

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Western Gardens – Thinking of Spring

Plants which root along the stem hunt surely give other gardeners the joy they bring to me. I like to watch the self made pictures they achieve and to take advantage of their determination to move along in creating pictures of my own. When we help them to develop roots on their lowest stems we call it layering but a lot of plants layered themselves long before the first gardener took to this process for propagating purposes.

Often plants throw roots down from the under side of a branch or shoot that has come in contact with the soil. Where strong winds prevent stems front rising naturally, pressing them clown against the earth instead, many take to layering' as a mode of getting about.

On my windswept hill, plants which are tall and straight and would never dream of rooting at the stem in more sheltered places realize, after the batterings of several seasons, that they must find another way of self development. My Thymus nitidus and Abelia floribunda do it. In the Northwest I have seen Daphne eneorum take to all fours and in central California live oaks and even sycamores sometimes go underground.

On the West coast we can avail ourselves of this method of propagating or of giving new direction to a plant, at almost any time of the year. The important things are to see that there is a good rooting medium under the bough and that it is moist enough to encourage the sprouting of roots.

If you want your Ceanothus gloriosus, for instance, to cover a slope quickly, extend the branch in the direction you want it to go, see that there is some sand and humus beneath it, cut the leaves off the under side, press the stem into this mixture of sand and leafmold... or whatever mixture you use put a rock on top to anchor it down and see that the whole is thoroughly wet. July is a good month for playing this game because the spring and early summer have ripened the wood.

With next spring's garden in mind, check on the easy landscaping plants first before you spend time on the ones that need utmost attention. Prune spireas, viburnums and cut out the old growth from climbing roses as soon as flowers have withered. Proper landscaping plant selection is also necessary especially among flowering plants. If your iris needs dividing, do it now and keep in bloom the flowering annuals that at present are giving color to your garden, by relieving them of faded blossoms. Do this also to your perennial phlox when it flowers and note the new phlox colors you need for next year.

In the fruit garden keep the raspberries well watered and the grapes tied. If you have committed yourself to the method of summer pruning your grapes, there is nothing for it but to keep at it and follow it up through the summer.

Take the old plants out of the strawberry bed and after working fertilizer into the empty places fill them with young rooted runners of the kinds you like best.

Learn more of what Keith Markensen has to share over at http://www.plant-care.com. Unpack for yourself why so many people are interested in easy landscaping plants.

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Camellia Season For Fall

Camellia sasanqua comes into bloom this month. It is the earliest of the family to flower and, in bloom from now until December while few other shrubs are showing color, it is very desirable as well as charming and beautiful. The soft pink of the variety Apple Blossom, with its delicate flower with golden centers, is a striking and lovely plant. The semi-double, white is most floriferous and the deep rose is also good. The foliage is not quite so heavy as that of the standard camellias and the plants grow wider than tall and make good hedges, accents and specimens.

Fragrance is the chief merit of the Russian olives, Eleagnus pungens and E. fruitlandi. They are heavy growers and need much trimming, but the tiny clusters of creamy flowers spread their aroma far and wide.

Much work must be done. All the daffodils, scillas, Roman and Dutch hyacinths, camassias, crocus and muscari must be planted as early as possible. Use the strong trumpet and clustered narcissus along with chalice and short-cupped types in groups of 12 or more wherever space permits, and be sure to include the miniatures to give distinction and character to the groups.

Iris kaempferi is rightly called the "orchid of the Orient." They grow well in a rich soil of leafmold and humus and wherever there is an abundant water supply which they can use during the blooming season. Almost any amateur can make an exotic iris garden with roots of the kaempferis. They multiply so rapidly that each season they must be divided and new plants set. The names are as fanciful as the colors and forms. Deep blues, mauves, purples, orchid, lavender, azure, rose and amethyst, with whites of spectacular brilliance, double and single, self-toned and marked with lines and blotches, make the choice almost unlimited masses of each variety make the most striking effect.

Iris of all kinds must be planted. If the old clumps are crowded, lift and replant at once. Then order ant plant as many of the fine new ones as the budget will allow. Give them a place apart in which to develop their wonderful grace and charm. Study the lists of advertisers and the reports from the iris experts. All the iris do well, and from mid-March to late May they add a veritable rainbow of color to the garden.

Roses need attention. Cut the dead flowers and wood, spray with a good insecticide and fungicide to remove rust rose species, and keep the mulches on. Feed now with a well balanced plant food and watch for the fall roses in their superlative radiance Tea roses need no spraying, but the plant; food will bring them into their lovely best.

Take rooted cuttings of evergreen candytuft, Phlox subulata, P. divaricata and P. canadensis, and fill in the edgings with these.

Remember the lilies which must be planted now. Lilium candidum, L. centifolium, the native white atamasco (Zephyranthes atamasco) and the soft pink Zephyranthes carinata will give you fine displays for a long season of bloom.

Seed your lawns now with recleaned Italian rye grass seed. Spread the seed with a lavish hand and do not cover. In about ten days the green shoots will appear and your green lawn for winter will be assured. Nothing adds more beauty to winter landscapes.

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Garden Mum Growing

For a number of years, Chrysanthemum enthusiast have grown outdoors many of the large-flowered mums. These late-blooming incurves, spiders and other odd types have better texture and longer lasting qualities than garden mums. They grow these largely for show purposes and for a certain thrill of accomplishment that garden mums do not provide.

In the past, it was difficult to obtain cuttings of the large flowered mums or even to know what kinds to attempt. But by attending shows and talking with other chrysanthemum lovers you can soon chose the most appealing varieties, and then experiment over a period of several years to see what results could be obtained with the same mums outdoors under your conditions.

If you grow good mums, you ought to enter a show, partly for the worth-while service you can render the beginner who may be completely at sea about what choices to make. More progress has been made in mums over the years than many other flower. Many old varieties are worthless compared to the new, and should not take valuable space. Of course, not all new ones are good or all old ones undesirable. That is why it is necessary to visit shows and gardens of growers who specialize in mums. There is a mum for every purpose but you sometimes have to hunt for it.

Although we prefer to see a variety at a show before ordering it, we have found that almost any variety that blooms by November 1st in the New York area can be grown successfully outdoors. Varieties that bloom up to November 8 can be attempted if some sort of protective covering is used.

The big mums should have a bed by themselves, for they dont fit very well into any landscaping design like small front yard landscaping if you give them the best care. Best care, for show purposes usually, means limiting each plant to not more than 3 stems, which develop near the base of the plant after the first pinch, and removing all but one flower bud to a stem. This makes the plants grow into such giants, that they make too startling an accent in the garden and small yard landscaping. However, if you I dont do these two things, the mums can well be used in the garden picture with other material. You ought to disbud them at least to some extent, even if you dont want prize blooms, to prevent flowers from crowding each other. The blossoms remaining after disbudding also will be larger and more lasting than those of the common hardy mums.

Besides the large incurves and spiders, a number of good pompons of splendid substance will grow outdoors very successfully and they are more frost-resistant than the incurves. Some grow 5 and 6 feet tall; in fact, it is usually true that the later the bloom, the taller the plant. They may be kept lower by starting the cuttings late, say in late May or early June. This wont affect the blooming time much. The only advantages in making early cuttings are that plants will grow sturdy before hot weather and, in the case of hardy varieties, plants will be bushier because they will have at least one additional pinching.

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Rose And Rose Virus

In the beginning there were no roses, just the house set among oaks on a sloping hill. They were not interested in landscaping but something had to be done. So the couple called in an energetic nurseryman who planted the grounds with honeysuckle, Bridalwreath, lilacs, spirea and evergreens. In a few years his plants far outgrew their allotted space and the grounds were no more pleasant than before.

About this time the oak trees succumbed to a disease, one by one, and had to be removed. As if to save the situation, fate, disguised as an Etoile de Hollande rose flourishing in the shrubbery border, stepped in and inoculated the couple with a rose-growing virus.

Never since has Etoile de Hollande bloomed so luxuriantly, but no matter. The rose was responsible for the slowly rising fever that caused this husband wife teem to get eight more roses.

Despite neglect, the plants thrived. Maybe fate made them beautiful to inspire but more likely, it was good soil balance, lack of cultivation and a "green growing mulch" of portulaca or "moss roses" Which had crept into the bed.

Not much later fate took full charge. A broken arm in the fall and during the slow months it was mending, all the books in the house had been read and the only thing left was seed and flower catalogues.

The picture of roses brought the old fever back and now there was nothing to interfere with its course. Not even the persistent considering of golf as the only worthwhile diversion but the arm would not allow any play.

Due to the early training under a wonderful mother who loved growing things, the man of the house felt quite at home in this new world and as his vision broadened, he realized how easily a rose bed could replace a golf green.

Right off he knew growing roses on flat ground was as challenging as desert landscaping. It was a tame adventure compared to the thrill of hillside landscaping to develop really good ones on a hillside, such as his.

The property, on a slope facing south, was 168 feet long, 85 feet wide and rises approximately 50 feet above the street. The land climbs in a series of terraces from street to level ground and the house. The ascent continued, in smaller terraces behind the house, to level ground and the garage. It rises again to the rear lot line.

Such terrain is unconventional and presents obstacles. Some imagination, a strong determination-. to have lots of A bright roses and a free expression of our creative powers were needed to develop it.

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Landscape And Garden Tips

July is a colorful month. With many of us, "June roses" are now at their best and so are many of the early summer blooming shrubs and perennials. However, it is also the month when the weatherman really turns on the heat it is the change-over period when the bright spring show tapers off and just before the mid-summer and fall bloom, mostly from annuals, takes over.

Lawns cannot flourish in subsoil and fill. Get your soil into shape now before trying any seed sowing this coming August and September. It may mean hauling in new top soil; or, if your top soil is poor, peatmoss, humus, compost or manure should be applied in a 3 or 4-inch layer, and dug into the top 6 inches of soil. Even good soil should be enriched with humus or compost and fertilizer for best results. Late summer sown lawns should be fertilized in the fall.

If the lawn is to be sown in the fall you can sow a fast-growing green crop such as buckwheat now. It chokes weeds and when dug under adds fiber and organic material to the soil. If the job is started now two crops of buckwheat can be turned under before time for the fall sowing of grass seed.

Lily-of-the-Valley - If it does not bloom well it is time to dig it up and separate it. Dig the area deep and incorporate generous quantities of manure, humus or compost. Add some fertilizer and a liberal dressing of bonemeal. Before replanting, shake apart the clumps into bundles of about six pips each. Twine their roots, and set the plants six to eight inches apart. Water thoroughly.

Divide Iris every three or four years. In planting iris, dig out the clumps and separate the rhizomes into pieces that have three to five crowns or growths. Fiberous rooted types are divided into four or five small clumps and the center is discarded. Just as caring iris, also examine your bearded iris for rot and cut away all affected pieces. The tops of all kinds should be cut back half way when they are transplanted.

Continue Pruning - Espalier fruit trees should have their new growth cut back several times during the summer. Cut back to two or three buds or leaves from the spur. This forces fruit buds to form close to the spurs and also helps maintain the form of the tree. Wisterias that are making a lot of new growth should be cut back to within two or three leaves or buds of the spurs. If a bare spot needs to be filled in let the strongest of the new growth do that.

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Calling The Birds With Colorful Fruits

Most showy as a specimen shrub is the Linden Viburnum (V. dilatatum) from Asia. Like V. opulus its vivid red berries generally remain untouched until late winter. Both species have horticultural varieties with yellow instead of red fruit... a desirable addition to the garden. It has not been reported whether the birds show any preference.

For the landscape gardener who must contend with shady situations, the native Viburnums offer a variety of plant material long known to be consumed by birds. First to be eaten are the blue-black berries of Arrowwood (V. dentatum). Maple-leaved Viburnum (V. acerifolium) holds its berries into the early winter. Nannyberry and Black Haw produce blueblack berries half an inch in length which have been used for preserves since Colonial times. The birds generally finish them off before winter sets in.

Wythe Rod often shows green, red, and mature black berries in the same bunch. It is the species most tolerant of wet ground. The fruits of the Japanese Seibold Viburnum are very similar but barely have time to ripen in early fall, before a feathered host swarms into the plants and quickly devours every fruit. This is the tallest species, growing up to 30 feet, and is one of the choicest specimens in an exceptionally attractive genus of shrubs.

Low-growing shrubs are just as important in the garden as the taller varieties already mentioned. Coralberry, also known as Indian Current, and Snowberry serve well in this capacity. For late winter use nothing is better than Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergi). On steep slopes Cotoneaster horizontalis provides an evergreen ground cover with abundant small, red fruits.

Vines for walls may be used to cover walls and trellises. Among the most attractive wall vines both for its scarlet fall foliage and its blue berries is Virginia Creeper, choice of Thrushes, Purple Finch, Grosbeaks, and Woodpeckers. If space permits their use, one of several good varieties of grapes may be used to provide another source of bird food, often used by migrating fall Warblers.

There are many other shrubs both native and exotic which might be mentioned.

Now is the time to make your plans. Select shrubs in accordance with the three needs of birds: food, cover, and nestingsites, and with a four-season availability in mind. Most of the trees and shrubs can be planted this spring if orders are placed immediately. Get started now, and as the years pass you can count on having increasingly more birds in your garden.

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Tips For Landscapes And Northern Gardens For July

July is a colorful month. With many of us, "June roses" are now at their best and so are many of the early summer blooming shrubs and perennials. However, it is also the month when the weatherman really turns on the heat it is the change-over period when the bright spring show tapers off and just before the mid-summer and fall bloom, mostly from annuals, takes over.

Lawns cannot flourish in subsoil and fill. Get your soil into shape now before trying any seed sowing this coming August and September. It may mean hauling in new top soil; or, if your top soil is poor, peatmoss, humus, compost or manure should be applied in a 3 or 4-inch layer, and dug into the top 6 inches of soil. Even good soil should be enriched with humus or compost and fertilizer for best results. Late summer sown lawns should be fertilized in the fall.

If the lawn is to be sown in the fall you can sow a fast-growing green crop such as buckwheat now. It chokes weeds and when dug under adds fiber and organic material to the soil. If the job is started now two crops of buckwheat can be turned under before time for the fall sowing of grass seed.

Lily-of-the-Valley - If it does not bloom well it is time to dig it up and separate it. Dig the area deep and incorporate generous quantities of manure, humus or compost. Add some fertilizer and a liberal dressing of bonemeal. Before replanting, shake apart the clumps into bundles of about six pips each. Twine their roots, and set the plants six to eight inches apart. Water thoroughly.

Divide Iris every three or four years. In planting iris, dig out the clumps and separate the rhizomes into pieces that have three to five crowns or growths. Fiberous rooted types are divided into four or five small clumps and the center is discarded. Just as caring iris, also examine your bearded iris for rot and cut away all affected pieces. The tops of all kinds should be cut back half way when they are transplanted.

Continue Pruning - Espalier fruit trees should have their new growth cut back several times during the summer. Cut back to two or three buds or leaves from the spur. This forces fruit buds to form close to the spurs and also helps maintain the form of the tree. Wisterias that are making a lot of new growth should be cut back to within two or three leaves or buds of the spurs. If a bare spot needs to be filled in let the strongest of the new growth do that.

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