Any Lilac Experts?

2 summers ago I did a serious cut back on an ancient lilac bush. It was cut off about shoulder height and the sides squared up. I didn't know at the time that this is not the way to trim lilacs. It didn't bloom last year because I had cut off all the buds. This summer it had 1 tiny flower on a low branch. Will it ever flower again? Wifey would have it yanked out in a heartbeat but I would prefer to keep it. The old fellow my family bought the farm from in 63 was raised here and once told me it was a full sized bush as long as he could remember.
 
I had a couple that weren't blooming much so I did a little research and found out they like fireplace ashes dumped on them. I've been doing that for the past 2 winters and this spring they had the most blooms ever. They like acid soil, and my sandy soil is anything but.
 
I'm sure it will be OK in a couple years or so. They are about like weeds in that they're impossible to kill.

A friend of mine had several large ones when he bought his house. He took the chain saw and gave them a MAJOR haircut! They sent new growth up from the roots and in a few years he had nice looking bushes again.
 
I'm not a lilac expert, but I do have maybe 200 of them on my property and plant a couple dozen more every spring. They are extremely easy to start from suckers and have a near 100 percent survival rate if transplanted as soon as the ground is thawed in the spring. Pruning an old bush will result in a rather unsightly, low-blooming plant for three or four years, but it's unlikely that you've permanently damaged its ability to bloom. I'd give it a chance for at least a couple more years. I've found the lilac to be quite forgiving. (A year ago this past spring my son planted 58 suckers along his roadside ditch. This spring every single one of them was alive, and some even bloomed!)
 
The common lilacs bloom on last years growth. Trim them right after they bloom in spring, so they have some time to add some new growth after being trimmed.
 
they will come back no dought about that. my uncle had lilacs around his house for ever and ever. he cut them down to about 2 ft. then in 2-3 years they were all grown again and blooming.
 
I'm not an expert. Mine didn't bloom that much this year. I'm thinking it may have had more to do with a warmer than normal winter, an early spring. Wait until next year. I think the weather plays an important part when it comes to flowers and blooms.

I have a few fall German irises blooming about 2 months earlier than normal . Weird weather patterns. Same with mums.
 
I wouldn't worry.
I have one very close to my heavily used garage door at the garage corner.
Kinda in my way but planted by a passed family member long ago, so I leave it. Exposed to lots of stuff not kind to plants, plowed right over it a few times in winter, Countless branches just broke off by hand if they poke me,....always recovers.
It has earned my respect...very tough.
 
We have a lilac I moved from a previous location ten years or more ago and it hasn't bloomed since. It will make buds but they don't open. The previous location was dark black soil and the new location is sandy so maybe that's the problem. Maybe I do need to spread fireplace ashes or some other type of soil conditioner around it.
 
The correct way to get a lilac bush under control is to take out only a few of the larger trunks. Also cut back most of the "suckers" around the base of the bush. As you remove some of the older large diameter trunks, you can cultivate a few of the smaller "suckers" to take their place. You should only cut back or remove no more than 20% of the old growth each season.
During the summer, the new growth forms the buds for next season's flowers. If you cut that back, it will not flower the next season.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top