Why will my lilac not get flowers? It is 6 yrs old and looks healthy.?
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Answers:
Here are some of the most common reasons that your blooms didn't happen:
The buds were inadvertently pruned off last year. The new buds form shortly after the flowers die back. See Pruning Lilacs.
The bush is immature. Most varieties need three, and sometimes four years to grow and develop, before they produce their first blooms.
Soil imbalance. This is caused by a pH imbalance, too much or too little of certain chemicals. I recommend a soil test through your local Cooperative Extension Service.
Improper mix of fertilizers applied. Flowering of both plants and vegetables is encouraged with higher Phosphorus. Sometimes, people use high nitrogen, which will help produce green leaves, while hindering blooming.
Insufficient amount of sunlight. Without enough sunlight, the plant often will not bloom. Lilac bushes prefer full fun.
Transplant shock. If you transplanted your Lilac bush since the last blooming period, they sometimes will miss a year, as they need time to recover.
Check these things out, adjust as needed and hopefully you will have blooms next year! Good Luck!
maybe lilac bushes are male and female like Bradford pear trees. maybe you have a male- therefore no flowers.
Some plants don't bloom for the first couple of years. I've also heard that sometimes they need trimmed back.
ok...the rule of thumb is to prune after bloom. so don not prune until it blooms.
add lots of lime around the bush. this will lower the pH, which lilacs love and will help it to bloom.
make certain the middle number on any fertilizer you use is higher than the other numbers. for instance...9-18-9 as opposed to 9-9-9. the first number is for top growth, the second for bloom, and the third for root development.
hope this helps.
6 years is pretty young for a Lilac. You may just need patience.
Also, what USDA zone are you in? Lilacs simply will NOT bloom if they are in too warm a climate. (Usually zone 7 or warmer) They require a certain amount of cold weather to bloom.
Too much shade, pruning too much or at the wrong time, too much fertilizer or poorly drained soil are your other choices
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