By Peanuts
Surrey,
United Kingdom 
Any advice on how to tackle this wisteria ? It has completely smothered every tree and shrub as seen in the picture and currently goes to the top of a 40ft conifer tree by the side of the house. There is honeysuckle, rhododendron, lilac underneath it all that I would like to see and have some definition, but is it right that if you cut them back hard, they wont flower again ? Any advice gratefully received. thank you.
30 Jun, 2013
Answers
1st July tomorrow... :-)
30 Jun, 2013
Simply hack it back as hard as you like. Then decide if you want to keep. Just hack back as hard as you like as often as you like unless you are attached to. Mg
30 Jun, 2013
No choice - got to go for it! It is impressive
1 Jul, 2013
Golly, it does need taming!
I would look at the main branches and decide which I wanted to keep and lop off the rest. Then summer prune what remains, ie. cut back the remaining whippy shoots (this year's new growth) to leave 5 or 6 leaves on each. This will encourage flower buds and make it more manageable.
In January cut the same shoots back to two or three buds before the growing season starts.
Do not feed it, that will encourage even more rampant growth, but improve the soil structure by mulching if necessary.
It will probably sulk for a while but if it is managed consistently it will adjust.
1 Jul, 2013
thank you so much for the comments. I'm a bit like a child in a sweetie shop, so excited about my garden. I'm super excited and nervous about tackling this beast, but roll on the kids being in school tomorrow. Wish me luck :-)
1 Jul, 2013
Go for it Peanuts!
1 Jul, 2013
Yes, and have the camera handy to take before and after photos too! Love to see the transformation.
2 Jul, 2013
All I know is you MUST cut it back in February and July......if not it grows too much.
30 Jun, 2013