Question about lilacs??
Question:We have a lilac bush in out yard that is about 20 years old, this year it didn't seem to have as many blooms as usual. Any ideas why, or what I can do this year to make it bloom more profusely next year??
Answers:
I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere! I see lilacs on deserted farmplaces all the time - no one even looks at them much less cares for them. They look great! I also have one in my backyard and except for cutting it way back one year I've never done a thing to it. My suggestion is - leave it alone, it's just having an off year. It'll probably be back bigger and better than ever next year!
Are you pruning it at all when the flowers are dead?
Have a look at this website for advice on pruning
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/lilacs/03...
You might want to read this link to help you.
It probably needs the old canes removed , some fertilizer and a lot of mulch.
Some years they just don't bloom as much.
I'm not sure what area you are in, but my lilac bushes all looked bad this year too. I only got a few blooms, and they only lasted a couple days. I think the weather this year just may not be that great for them.
I have a lilac bush in my yard that's probably a good fifty years old. Lilacs thrive best in very cold winters so if you had a mild winter or little snow you probably won't have a lot of blooms. This year sorta sucked cause of the big Easter freeze. Most of the plants and trees here in southern Illinois suffered pretty bad when the freeze hit and the lilac was one of them. It had already started to bloom when it hit and then wham. Didn't get a lot this season. Our other bushes, shrubs, and bulbs didn't do as well this spring either.
Try trimming, I did my old lilac bush and next spring the blossoms were plenty-full
It seems that everyone has the same idea as I about trimming your lilac bush. Twenty years is quite a long time to have not realized this before now. You've got quite a bit of trimming to do now. Go to one of the greenhouses and ask them for advice. I believe you'll get the same advice. Beautiful bushes to have, perhaps might even able to start new ones by the trimmings.
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