Here are some tips to follow to help you get the best results when planting and growing lilacs.
Good Planning
For the best blooms, plant lilacs in an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Lilacs should be planted on a slightly raised area or on level ground. Lilacs are also a good choice for the side of hills or slopes. Water newly planted shrubs at least once a week during dry periods, for the first year. Special Tip: Avoid planting lilacs in a sunken area that remains wet for long periods of time as they will get waterlogged and die.
Proper Spacing
Although this tip may seem like overkill, when you’ve just gotten a very small little shrub home from the nursery, but most lilac crowns spread out to about 2.5 metres across, therefore they need to be planted at least three metres apart. Plenty of space will mean your bushes get good airflow all around them, which reduces or prevents powdery mildew. Providing ample space also ensures that the roots and crown develop fully and evenly, allowing for a healthier shrub overall.
Feed them Appropriately
Use a high phosphorus (middle number) fertilizer, like bonemeal, in the early spring prior to blossoming to promote large, richly coloured, blooms. Fertilize again after blooming with a general purpose fertilizer (all three numbers are relatively even). Special Tip: Do not over fertilize or use a fertilizer with a high first number (N-nitrogen) as you will only get a lot of leaves.
Allowing the Shrub to Establish Properly
Lilacs need a couple of years to establish themselves, so in order to allow them to develop a better root system, remove all flower heads before they develop into flowers the first year and three quarters of the flower heads the second year. This is worth the sacrifice to ensure long-term health of the lilac.
Maintaining the Shrub
Prune, immediately after blooming because if you wait too long before trimming off dead blooms, you may end up cutting of the next year’s blooms. Selectively remove branches from the interior of the bush to increase air circulation, maintain the health, and keep a uniform shape.
Maximizing Flowering
As the flowers begin to fade, remove them from the shrub to stop the plant from putting unnecessary effort into producing seed. This must be done as soon as flowering stops.
Suckers at the trunk steal valuable energy away from the predominant part of the tree so remove the young shoots as soon as you see them to ensure that the energy is being directed to the production of the next year’s flowers.
One of lilacs worst enemies is competition from weeds. Always cut a circle of sod away from the trunk and apply a mulch to retain moisture and prevent weeds. This also keeps the lawn mower from inadvertently getting too close.
Following these steps will ensure that you are well on your way to enjoying your own lilacs to their fullest each season.
