Wisteria training

[devonuk]

So I have planted a new wisteria against a wall (pre-vine eyed and wired). The usual advice which I have followed in the past is to grow the first pair of arms of the espalier this year and to let the leading shoot grow unchecked until winter. Presumably if I pinch out the growing tip now (June) that will stimulate new shoots further down the stem and I might get another pair or even two pairs of arms started this year (as there is well over 36" of plant above this years' arms, and the required spacing is 18").

Why does the usual advice not permit this? If the answer is that the new growth won't have time to harden off before the frost comes and a hard frost will kill it, that is a risk I'm happy to run given the sort of winters we get these days. Can anyone think of any other reason there might be for not doing it?

[Thelma Sanders]

Isn't the idea - of one tier a year, just so that each new set of arms is as strong as they can be.

If you grew another set of arms wouldn't this make the first set weaker?

[devonuk]

Thanks for the reply. You may be right, in which case it's a trade off between stronger arms, or more of them. The thing is growing so vigorously that I am sure it could sustain an extra pair of arms.