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Monday, May 12, 2008

Wisteria

This beautiful Wisteria was given to me by a friend. It all started with a couple of pods. She lives in her family home in Herndon VA. Her Wisteria is at least 35-40 years old when she gave me the pods back in 1990. I had no idea what to do or what I was in for. The pods are hard as rock and velvety smooth. So I left them on the kitchen counter. I came home one day to find all these black things on my floor and counter. Then I found the pods split open. Now I could get my own plant. I took a cookie sheet and put down a few layers of paper towels, spread out the seeds, covered with more paper towels and wet the whole thing. I put the cookie sheet on top of the fridge. I can't remember how long it took but they started to sprout. When they looked big enough I planted some in a pot and kept it on the patio. Only one made it. When it was about a foot tall I transplanted it to the back fence. This was a place that was an eyesore. The apartments behind my property has a large drainage culvert. I also planted what were called tree of china that I found in a catalog. I got 10 trees for under $20. I have no idea what they really are but they said they would grown fast and make a great fence, which they did. What I did wrong was plant them too close together having no idea how fast and big they would grow. But they and the Wisteria have created the fence and privacy I wanted.

You can read about the pods here. If you would like to try a Wisteria from scratch send me you address and when the pods come up I'll pick them and send them your way. Be warned, if you succeed in growing one from my seeds you need to either maintain it or put it where it will grow wild like I did.

I'm new at using the movie feature with my Fuji Finepix camera. I also hate the way I sound. I've been in VA since 1966 but born in NYC. My sister said I have a southern accent. What do you think, other than me sounding very nasel from the pollen.

8 comments:

Wendy said...

Your wisteria is beautiful! I wish I had the space to let one grow wild in my back yard.

Robin said...

WOW...your Wisteria is amazing! I'd love to start a plant, can you trim it back to control it?

NH Knitting Mama said...

The video didn't work for me! :-(

I would love to plant some wisteria - can it survive a cold New England winter?

NH Knitting Mama said...

AH! The video just worked - took a few minutes to load up. That is AMAZING how much it took over that area - I love it. I have some neighbors that I would love to block out. Do they need to have something to cling to?

Anita said...

All of your flower photos are just gorgeous!! And just look at your Wisteria!! I have some in the back yard and it seems to be taking over my pine trees. :)

You might not have a NYC accent anymore but you still don't have a "Southern" accent! One of these days I'll figure out how to tape something I can upload and let you hear a Southern accent, man I sound like a total hick! LOL

cinnamongirl93 said...

The Wisteria is breathtaking! I don't think I can grown it here in Northern Illinois. My very good friend has tried. After 10 years one of the plants bloomed for the very first time. She has her's planted on the east side of her house. I sure would love to try if you would seend me a few seeds!
I don't pick up on any southern accent, althought I do love how they sound!

Anonymous said...

I'm jealous -- I planted wisteria at the back of my garden in 1994 as a focal point. It climbs on a trellis. It has NEVER bloomed - not once - not even a tiny bud. I have tried to shock it by shaking and cutting it back - NOTHING. The foliage is beautiful but it will NOT bloom. What kind of sun does yours get?? Someone asked me if mine gets at least 6 hours of full afternoon sun.

Terry Sailingknitter said...

LOVE the Wisteria! I miss mine so much. It was the first thing I planted at my last house right after I moved in. We trained it to grow up to the 2nd floor balcony and to grow along the railings to provide privacy for the street-facing bedrooms.

And grow it did! Amazing! It would even grow between the wood siding boards so I would have to chop it back often. But the smell is pure heaven.

Love all of the socks that you've been knitting!

Terry - SailingKnitter