Training wisteria

I ordered 2 wisteria, 'Alba' and 'Blue Sapphire'. I should be receiving them in about 10 days. I would like to train them to twist around each other (for the trunk) and having the shape ultimately be a weeping-type tree with blue and white flowers intertwined. I am prepared to prune weekly if necessary. What supports do I need? Here's the other thing: I hope to be moving out of this house in about 5 years, so I don't want to plant them in the ground (since they take many years to bloom). How big of a container would I need for 2 wisteria? How close should they be planted? TIA, Tamara

I think I would plant them in the ground and plan to dig them up at moving time. I had one in a pot (maybe 8") that did nothing last year, but when I planted in the ground and gave it a stake it took off. I seriously think it grew a foot one night while I was asleep.
Your plan sounds really pretty. I imagine you want a metal stake for sturdiness, but I'm not really sure. I have 2 growing on chain link and one on a tomato tower (galvanized, 5 ft wire stake). From what I've read, I should be prepared for the plants to eat supports like these, but that's okay, I don't like the fence much.

Tamara, you could plant them in the ground, but they would be a bear to dig up and would suffer transplant shock after you dug them up. I would plant them side by side (maybe a foot apart) in a container slightly bigger than their combined root ball, and you can repot them when they become rootbound. Depending upon where you ordered your plants from, they may be very small, and they may also grow slowly at first.

I have eight wisterias, and they are all growing in containers. I'm a renter, and I want to take them with me when I move. Wisterias do very well in containers and are often used in bonsai. My largest tree is trained as a standard and is in a 15-gallon container. It is doing very well even though it is slightly rootbound. When it gets too rootbound and doesn't take up water very well, you can take it out of its container and trim the roots and repot with fresh soil. Using this method, you can keep one (or two) in a container for years. This is a great link for information: http://www.plantamnesty.org/pruning_tips/pt_wisteria.htm There is also a great book about wisterias by Peter Valder if you are interested: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0881923184/qid=1094675303/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-9212723-4674229?v=glance&s=books

Here are a couple of mine on either side of an arbor:

Also, forgot to mention, wisterias eventually get very heavy and need a strong metal support. If your wisterias are small, you can probably use a wooden stake for now.

Thank you, sylvi74 and Clare_CA for your replies! I really hope mine do well! Tamara

Thanks Clare, I figured wisteria was too vigorous a grower to stay in a container for long. I wonder though how the roots would do in a container exposed to zone 5 winters? Maybe they could be moved to a protected spot for winter. Just some thoughts.

Hi Sylvi, wisteria is supposed to be hardy in Zone 5. See this link: http://davesgarden.com/pdb/go/55392/index.html but you would know better than I would since you are in Zone 5. I'm sure you are right that a protected spot during the winter would be good for the vine if it is possible.