Hi everyone. I bought this miniature wisteria (ko fuji) a while
ago as a
seedling. For some reason the soil it was in didn't absorb much
water and
eventually most of the leaves fell off. I finally worked out
what was
happening and repotted it into a new pot with a soil mix of
roughly 50%
organic material to 50% sharp sand & gravel (maybe 60/40). It
drains well
and the water seems to be reaching the root ball now, but I'm
still having
leaves brown and shrivel at the ends, especially at the bottom
of the tree.
Anyone have an idea what I'm doing wrong? Too much water? Not
enough water?
Is it normal and I'm freaking out over nothing? I'd love some
basics on
wisteria care - as I understand it they love wet feet and full
sun, but I
could be wrong.
Thanks again in advance for your replies.
Cheers all,


If "miniature wisteria" is a true Wisteria species (and not that
Oriental plant with wisteria-like flowers that has "wisteria" in
its common name), I'd bet you're keeping it in a pot that's too
shallow, and the soil is heating up.

I don't think you CAN overwater a wisteria, but a wet wisteria in
a shallow pot in full sun means hot water around the roots. They
need deep, tall pots -- which is OK since most Wisteria are
pretty much forced to grow as cascades or semi-cascades.

If it is that "other" wisteria (the non-Wisteria wisteria), I
have no knowledge of its requirements.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

At 05:03 PM 4/13/03 +1000, James Quinan wrote:
Hi everyone. I bought this miniature wisteria (ko fuji) a while ago as a
seedling. For some reason the soil it was in didn't absorb much water and
eventually most of the leaves fell off. I finally worked out what was
happening and repotted it into a new pot with a soil mix of roughly 50%
organic material to 50% sharp sand & gravel (maybe 60/40). It drains well
and the water seems to be reaching the root ball now, but I'm still having
leaves brown and shrivel at the ends, especially at the bottom of the tree.
Anyone have an idea what I'm doing wrong? Too much water? Not enough water?
Is it normal and I'm freaking out over nothing? I'd love some basics on
wisteria care - as I understand it they love wet feet and full sun, but I
could be wrong.

James

I doubt very much that this is Wisteria sinensis or W. floribunda. It is
much likely that it is not Wisteria at all, but rather that unfortunately
named "Dwarf Wisteria" which is Mellitia japonica. I do have some of these
but not very much experience with it. It seems much more tender than
Wisteria, and I doubt that it likes to be constantly wet. My guess is that
it contracted some sort of root fungal disease from being too wet. It
sounds like you cured the environmental part of the problem. It will
probably recover by itself if you don't keep it too wet. Do not water until
the surface it quite dry, and the soil is only a little damp about an inch
down, the typical bonsai water test. Mellitia does have a nasty habit of
dropping its leaves at the drop of a hat and then taking a while to
recover. Since you are entering autumn, you may not see any good new growth
until next spring. Mine have done that before.


Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14

http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++