I live in Toronto and would like to plant wisteria in a large pot against a wooden fence. It has partial shade. Are these conditions not conducive to blooming? How much success will I have?
Thanks
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master regarding your wisteria inquiry.
Wisteria is a large and hardy vine which grows best when planted in full sun (6-8hrs) in fertile, moist well-drained soil. Though wisteria will grow in partial shade, sun is essential for it to flower.
There are a number of Wisteria varieties to choose from- Chinese Wisterias ((Wisteria sinensis ) and Japanese Wisteria varieties (Wisteria floribunda) can grow up to 25 feet in height. As a result, when considering planting it in a container you might want to opt for a variety that isn’t so large such as the American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens). You may wish to read this article on the differences between American and Asian Wisteria
The ideal container for a wisteria is a pot or planter that’s both big and heavy enough to contain the vine and it should also be made from a material that will help retain moisture and uniform temperature.
Make sure that your container is not placed directly on the ground but is placed on small blocks. This is because once the temperature drops and the ground freezes under the container, water cannot escape the bottom of the pot. The container will thaw before the ground does and if you get a few rainy days, the water will stand in the pot, either rotting the roots or turning into an ice cube when the weather chills again.
Lastly, it is important to note when overwintering plants in containers that the more soil in the pot, the better insulated the roots will be. If you have numerous containers consider clustering several containers together. You might also wish to encircle the container with chicken wire and fill the surrounding space with leaves or mulch.
Lastly we receive numerous questions regarding wisteria which you can find at this link.