Wisteria trellis has broken, help!

My five-year-old wisteria has gotten so heavy that it has begun to break the trellis supporting it. Any suggstions as to how I can fix this without the plant falling down? Any help would be appreciated.

You can prop up the branches with wood or pvc pipe so it doesn't keep falling and give you time to build a more heavy duty trellis .. personally, with something as heavy as wisteria, I'd build another trellis out of half inch to 3/4 inch pvc which can be painted to blend in and pvc doesn't rot or deform like wood.

X

ps .. that's beautiful!

This message was edited Jul 15, 2009 9:57 AM

Sounds good. Would you just build it on the wall, weaving it in and out of the wisteria? Thanks.

I'd put a couple of posts in the ground in cement to handle the weight .. with the weight of the wisteria which is going to get even heavier I'd be concerned it might ultimately damage the house. Probably 3/4 inch would be your best bet and not the thin walled stuff.

Just find a trellis design you like and build it out of pvc instead of wood and if you plan to paint it, it might be easier to paint the pipes first.

X

I'd prefer pressure treated wood as a material. As X says, sink STRONG posts 12-15 inches into concrete (24 inch deep holes, at least 2-3 inches bigger around than post material, located to keep the post at least 12 inches out from the house). TOol your concrete to slope down from the post, ending a bit above the soil level. PT 6x6's will last this plant's lifetime, and no painting. With wood you can attach other planters much more easily.

True your posts up at the level where you want the crossbeam(s), the top of which I'd guess could go a good bit above where the vine has now sagged to.

Detach the trellis from the house (leave the vine well attached at first) and till it forward, supporting it with props or by ropes tied to the new posts, to allow you to prepare for attaching the crossbeams to the posts.

I would use 2x6 at least, and think 2x10 might give you a more solid look, better scale for that big, beautiful wisteria. I would put two crossbeams, front and back of the posts, with room for plant in between. If using two beams, put the back beam up first, attach with lag bolts in from the back.

TIlt the plant back up and hold it to the back beam using rope.

Attach front beam (enclosing plant), using long bolts with nuts and large washers. (This will allow you to take the front beam off more easily if you need to).

Arrange wisteria to hang down over the front, of course.

Lots easier to hang other planters off wood than PVC.

Think about a decorative cut for the ends of the beams. Think about some lighting also, to enjoy that great plant all the time.



This message was edited Jul 18, 2009 9:07 PM

Hello JPlunket:

Thanks for the fantastic detailed instructions! This should make a wonderful trellis!

We built ours out of rebar.

What beautiful Wisteria's you both have! Do you live where they bloom year round, or do they just bloom in the spring like they do here?

Mine blooms mostly in spring before leaves come out but now just a few blooms. I think I need to fertilize it.

You gotta be kidding!! Nothing keeps a wisteria in check LOL. I have seen them pull down small building and tear the limbs off a BIG tree just for fun. I really like the plant but BOY do they need support.
GL

Ours blooms once a year, too short!

aebloom - Please show us the new version of the trellis when its finished!

Over the years (6 years) I have kept a wisteria pruned to one main trunk like a tree and it is now self supporting. It has required extensive care each year, but the tree form is what I was aiming for. Now that it supports itself up to a height of about 6 feet I plan to start allowing some of the new growth to remain and support them laterally for about 15 feet in 2 directions. I will continue to prune heavily to attain 3 branches in each direction, 0ne at 6 ft high, one at 8 and one at 10. This will give me a privacy screen 10+ feet high where fencing restrictions would only allow me to go to 6 ft. This plant allows for great creativity and requires enormous amounts of care. I never fertilize and believe that is what promotes lots of bloom.