How to Prune Lilacs
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2019
- Lilac bushes can get tall and leggy and knowing how to prune them will give you years of beautiful, fragrant flowers on manageable plants. Three different ways of pruning lilacs depend on whether the plant is well-maintained, overgrown, or completely wild. The most important aspect of lilac pruning is know when to prune -- right after the flowers fade. Severe pruning of an overgrown plant is good to do in late winter or early spring.
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Here's an update Lilac video: • Pruning Lilacs - An Up...
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Came here for the lilac care, stayed because of your shirt.
Yes🧡💛💙💜💗💚
4 years later, I too came for the lilacs and the shirt was a giant bonus!
Same
Yep, stay at home autism dad here sitting next to my special guy. Gardening helps me cope and manage some extra stress parents of specials experience 🤗 🌈💙 🧩 🤜🏻⚡️🤛🏻
Amen! I would love a shirt like that. My two granddaughters are autistic. One of the granddaughters just wrote a book, she's 12. They have such big hearts. God bless all.
I know this video is 4 yrs. old, but I just wanted to say thanks! It's come in super handy. I'm in the process of restoring my grandparent's home. My grandma loved her flowers and one of her favorites was lilacs. They're literally everywhere. I'm looking forward to using your information to properly take care of them. Plant care is so much fun!
I really thought the more you leave the lilac alone the more it will flower, but the opposite is the case! What an eye opener!
Thank you for the video. We have a 80+ year old lilac bush. We've pruned it over the years we've lived in our house. The lilac was planted by the original home owner in 1939. I'm glad we are pruning it correctly.
That’s amazing ❤
Thats awesome! Good for you. God Bless.
thank god I listened to this, mine are like trees 15 feet tall...blooms barely and only on top.....I started to cut the new growth to help the old parts!!! omg! didnt do too much before I came in to listen
I was absolutely kicking myself in the head thinking i screwed up chopping the lilac bush on the back yard until the very end when you said that was the last option. 😂 Great video! Thank you for the education! 💖
My lilacs need the third option but I was afraid to do it! Now I feel like it’s ok since you gave it the thumbs up. 👍
I've lived in my house 40 years - and probably pruned once. Still flowers but just on top. Great video for dummies like me.
Yes! This is really clear and helpful.
That’s not dumb... if I prune like this my own won’t flower at all because I only get sun now at the top of my tree !where it is tall.... not enough light to have low flowering bush anymore-:( some is better than none!
Me too. I'm here 44 years and the lilac was gigantic back then. Now just leggy, flowers 15' on top. Going to follow these instructions!
I moved into a house with a Lilac tree 10 feet high with only flowers on the top. This video is super useful
0
That’s why I’m here too lol
I had this problem. Was told to reduce the size of tree by 2/3rds. Did that and next year had beautiful, fragrant blooms.......I was a bit nervous to cut off so much, but it worked...........
Planted a lilac last year. I'm SO ready for flowers. It's my favorite flower bar none.
You conveyed a lot of good information Scott. I do have a few suggestions. I like to remove Woody material during the dormant season only. If I want the shrub to flower better I do as you suggest and cut off the seed pods, but I only cut off the seeds and try to leave all of the leaves in place to provide vital food for the tree. Pruning vegetation after flowering requires the tree to regrow and expend extra energy to recover its former food supply that was removed.That regrowth grows rapidly and is subsequently weak . Pruning 1/3 of a tree or shrub should be a limit, not a goal . There are many 100 + year old lilacs in my area that are absolutely stunning with stems up to 8 in in diameter. These were lilacs that were well cared for and not over pruned. Their branches grew slowly and were subsequently strong enough to withstand many Montana Winters. All that said, lilacs are extremely Hardy and will often be only one of three plants left on Old Windswept Homesteads. Irises and rhubarb being the other two. Keep up the good work and thanks
You can dig up the runners it puts out and plant somewhere else in yard or give to a friend to have their own lilac plant
would love to see this bush a year or two later !
Just wanted to say thanks. I came across your video about 3 seasons ago and started to apply this pruning method to my Dwarf lilac late June or early July when the flowers have faded. Mine is in a container on our deck and each spring since I began pruning we've seen our flower production increase significantly. Really great video and this works for container gardeners and dwarf lilacs as well. Cheers.
I really appreciate the detailed video. Most people try to tell you what to do but don't provide a proper visual that shows what they mean. Thank you!
I always thought I should wait until Fall to prune. Thank you SO much! Very helpful.
I like your T-Shirt and its message!
This is what I do with all “woody” bushes like burning bushes and dogwood. When you take out the woody branches, those that are thick and rough with little new growth, those toward the middle, and allow light and air in again, new growth will occur. Just do an hour or two at a time. And, don’t use a hedge trimmer. The damage it causes to the branch ends will attract bugs and disease. It’s a process so enjoy your time in the fresh air taking care of Creation!
I had a small lilac...the winter had been very cold one year and no leaves that spring. Had the spouse cut it down. To my surprise, shoots started sprouting from the ground like a lot. Eventually, it became very bushy. And the flowers were plentiful...the following years. 🥰
Very informative video to watch right before I go out and prune my own lilac. Thank you for the "3 different pruning situations" breakdown, that's a very helpful was to classify how to prune plants in different statuses!
I must get me a hand saw. Great educational video. So many of us haven't a clue. In my neighborhood, every lilac tree needs some TLC. 🥰🇨🇦
Overgrown lilacs are not pretty
Even though I’m in winter now, I came across this video and it’s timely. I’ve always wondered how to prune my lilacs and you have clearly explained this. You are a great teacher.
This was a great explanation of the different approaches. I have 5 that are really over grown. I've always been terrified to prune them, but now I feel pretty confident! Three years from now, they'll be gorgeous! And maybe I won't need a 12 foot ladder to reach the top of them! Thanks so much.
Just the video I was looking for. I have a huge lilac "tree" in my yard and was afraid of cutting since I know nothing about gardening. Your video gives me the confidence to cut the whole tree back so it will bloom again and smell beautiful as well as look beautiful. Thank you!
Phyllis how did cutting it way back turn out. I need to do this and am so afraid.
@@attridgekl it seems to be growing ok, so far. I guess I'll really know next summer if it grows over the winter and how well it grows. Thanks for asking.
@@phyllisstone3089 Hi! I’m interested to know how cutting back your lilac has been now that it’s getting into the growing season!
It seems to be growing quite well. I have no flowers this year but plenty of growth coming up. Thanks for asking. I can try to take a picture of it in the daytime and see if I can post it.@@mrose4132
You speak so clearly and succinctly. Thank you for this video!
I have a huge lilac that started out as a mother's day plant and has gotten out of hand in my mom's garden. A beautiful plant but few blossoms. I really appreciate how you explained this in depth. After watching this, I know exactly what to do with the plant i have, to achieve what i want. Thank you so much! Next spring i am sure we will have magnificent blossoms!
Thanks Gardener Scott! Great to have a library to look back on every season.
This was so soothing to listen to
Very helpful! I had no idea I could prune my lilac “trees” which only bloom at the top!
Thank you for providing such clear and practical advice. I can see exactly what I need to do now. I inherited an overgrown lilac bush when I bought a property and I'm very happy to have a plan of action now. The fragrance brings me back to childhood and now I can look forward to more in the years to come.
Perfect! Thanks Gardener Scott. Just bought a dwarf Korean lilac and have a few large ones on my property, so this is real helpful!
Fantastic. A lilac is a tree I'm planning to have in my new garden, so this and the comments below is great help.
Thank you, wonderfully explained, watching and listening is so much easier than trying to read and interpolate!
I thave
Hi Scott the Gardener! I planted my first Lilac bush late last summer and this summer the blooms happened and were a delight. I will now be able to prune the branches since viewing your very helpful video! Thanks so much for such an informative and well presented instructional vid. Enjoy your Lilacs as I am enjoying mine! :-)
Thank you for that excellent tutorial. Just went out and did some massive pruning on my non -flowering lilacs. Hoping for the best for next season. Cheers!
so its lilac season here
how did it go with your pruneing
This video is exactly what I was looking for. Perfectly explain and clear. Great help, Thank you very much!
thank you so much for sharing this video. I had no idea how to prune my lilacs. Your instruction was very clear and easy to follow. Looking forward to better bushes...in about three years!
Ah-h-h, my favorite flower!! (How many people say that? 😊. Grew up in PA where they grew wild, to FL (zone 9) where we can't grow them. Sure do miss them. Thank you for the memories!
Hi Scott, I learned some helpful tips for pruning our lilac bush from your video. Thank you.
I’ve looked up information on lilacs before and your video is one of the best.
Thank you, Scott! I now understand why my lilac bush blooms so poorly, and I know exactly what to do about that.
This is an excellent tutorial with just the right balance of how and why. Thanks a lot!
This was so helpful after moving into my new home with a lilac tree that had barely any blooms! Can wait on see how it looks next year. Thank you!
Cool shirt! And best video I've seen on lilac pruning.
SO helpful and informative! Thank you so much 🙏🏼
I have 2 overgrown & out of control lilacs; unfortunately, I need to go with Option #3. And to make matters worse... I have Rose of Sharon growing throughout one of the trees. Thank You sharing this. It's given me the courage to do what I've been thinking I need to do for awhile now. :-)
Great timing, Scott. I was planning to trim my Ceanothus today as it has just finished blooming. Always nice to have a quick refresher!
That's great, Mary. So glad to help.
Thank you Gardener Scott!!! I'm headed out back with a new perspective and expectation for my mom's lilac's to recover from years of neglect. Thank you, Gardener Scott!!
Wonderful video! Thanks for the tips! I was going to head to prune now before blooming, but your video helped! I can wait until after bloom this year. Awesome shirt! ❤️
Thanks -- I am a city girl who now lives outside of the city and my lilacs used to make people stop and breathe them. This year only the top is flowering -- now I know why. THANKS!
Same here!
I watched your video last year. This year was the best year for flowers, they were absolutely everywhere! I pruned 1/3 of the bush last June, and fertilized in late April 2022.
You covered it! So clear and with excellent demonstrations and explanations.
Thank you for explaining it so well. Especially with the older branches. We have lilacs that are about 30 years old and about 15 feet high, but I would hate to lose them by cutting too much off. I will give this a go and I can’t wait to see how they look next year.
Thanks for this video! I was a lot more confident about chopping off fat, old, tall branches than I ever would have been without seeing you do it. It was an enormous bonsai experience. Looking forward to seeing the results in coming years. Wish I had taken a "before" pic.
Thank you so much for this great video! Our lilacs have been doing their own thing for years and finally I know how to manage them, thanks to you! I will wait till after next spring's flowering to prune them and will review this video before I do that. Thank you so much!
Thank you. That was very informative. Be doing my lilac tomorrow now.
Great advice Scott. Just the guidance I needed as I was beginning to think I'd have to fully remove the bush all together. Now I know a hard prune first, with follow-through the next few years will bring my lilac back to the size I need it to be for better management. Thank you!
jn
This is so useful! We moved into a house with bushes that've been completely ignored for 6 years and are in a bad way. Currently propogating a few sprigs, but definitely going to attempt pruning it at the end of season
Thanks for info. It helped.
Awesome info, thank you Scott!!
Thank you! We inherited an old overgrown lilac (my favorite!!) with the purchase of an old house. Unfortunately a spring snow storm took down some branches and made me aware that it was time to prune the 2+ story plant! I'll follow the advice once the flowers are spent and hopefully next year we'll get even more flowers!
Lilac bushes were brought to America by Europeans of all sorts for this reason: When it starts to leaf out, it is time to plant your spring crop. When the flowers are spent, it is time to plant your cold crop. Different climate zones have different times to plant. The lilac tells you when. You are welcome!
The most comprehensive lilac pruning video on youtube, thank you for this. Very informative, very easy to follow and very interesting.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks ...just at the right time of the year......
Very informative! I have rwo in my backyard, and I had cut them in late winter, and now I know why the flowers haven't been abundant.
Thank you for the video. I needed to learn all of this. I have a lilac that needs pruning! And now I know how!
Glad to hear it. 🙂
Thank you for this video. This is really helpful. I have two lilacs that just look terrible. I moved in last spring and cleaned out the dead wood. This year I had one purple and one white bush - pretty flowers but not very many. Last year they were both pretty diseased and was told it was because they had little air flow. This year, a landscaper came and advised me to cut one down to about 5 feet after the blooms were done. Your video helps me learn just how to prune for long lasting, beautiful and healthy plants. Thank you!
Thank you! I had no idea what to do with my 20 foot tall lilac😮 I will lop the whole thing off and hope for the best next year.
Thank you! We have a lilac bush. Most of the neighbors have allowed theirs to become trees and I didn't want that for ours...but I wasn't sure what to do. Now I'm ready.
Thanks. I'm very glad it was helpful.
I just bought some land and it has two huge lilac plants with many suckers. Torallt out of control. I am thinking it needs to be totally rejuvinated. If I cut it back to say 18 inches how much will it grow in a year?
My lilac is almost 15 years old, and I've done a pretty good job of keeping it at that 6-8 foot height and training it to grow in roughly the shape I want. However, I think I need to take a slightly more aggressive approach next spring and get rid of some of the really old branches. There are some in the center of the bush that don't even really produce leaves any more. Your tips will be really helpful in knowing which 1/3 are headed for the compost heap.
So glad it was helpful.
Mine is over 30 years old, pruned it down very low in the fall 2 yrs ago and it just finally bloomed this spring, they don't last very long but are very fragrant and beautiful
Just moved into a mobile home, lilacs are very top heavy and falling over, thanks for the tips, and Thanks for being a good instructor, now I'm going to prune my lilacs!
Wonderful job explaining this. I have a huge out of control lilac right next to a flowering cherry tree and I was at a loss as to what to do. Another looks like a tree so I will trim as per your directions. Appreciate your expertise. Now I know what to do after it has bloomed. Thanks again
Thanks, glad. Know I can cut them down all the way. We moved into ones frowning about 15 feet, and I have trimmed and cut with no knowledge (also hard to get to), I’ll do it some more today!, I had accidentally taken about a third off, and did it right......imagine that..... off to my next third, flowers dead a week.
Don't do it. You could be ruining the Bush.
We bought a house this winter - with a badly overgrown, and neglected 1/3 acre yard. I discovered we have 5 lilacs of varying sizes which are just heavenly, but some were very tall and not producing except at top as you showed. I love them so much, and this has bern very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks, this was thorough. And, may I just say, I love that your name is "Gardener," - totally appropriate!
Thank you for this video! We purchased a house a few years back with totally out of control lilacs and I thought we were going to have to remove them and start over. You’ve given us hope!
Looking this video up at the beginning of March after the snow melted, guess I'll wait a few months
Thank you for the information. Very useful!
This was so helpful! Thank you!
Great video. I think I'm at the cut everything back and start over stage. My lilac is about 25 yrs old and hardly ever trimmed. Big old 3-4 inch trunks all old and narly looking. Not many flowers this year.
That me too, times 8.
Me too! I think our lilac is 40 + years old and unattractive to say the least. I’m going to be ruthless and cut it all the down.
I have lilac bushes around my house, never pruned them and they flower every year.
Same here, I never though you had to prune them.
I didn't know about cutting off the flowers after they have bloomed, great advice :)
Great information ! I’lol take care of my double Dutch lilac this evening.
Gardening is a really violent hobby when you think about it.
Can’t wait for year 1,2,3 updates. Nicely done, time to cut!
This video is super helpful! Thank you!
So great!! I have pure white lilacs! They bloomed beautifully this year,but needed to cut down leggy branches.. can't wait till next year!!
Thank you, great information and simply said! I can do this!
Thank you this was very informative and helpful! I now feel confident that I can fix my Lilac 😊
Also, thank you for offering your knowledge!!
This was incredibly helpful thank you!
I love your t-shirt both my hubby and daughter have asperger syndrome. Thank you also for the information about the lylacs i have several in my yard. My mother once told me to cut off the flowers as soon as they finished blooming to get new ones the following year. It always worked for me.
I was just about to thank him for the shirt, too! I have autism level 1 (formerly aspergers). i rent and have lilacs on the property. I came here to tame my lilacs left a forever fan of this channel!
Great info! Just what I needed! Thank you.
I really enjoy ur videos, you r very knowledgable, but not a know it all, and ur very relaxed. I feel incredibly at peace while watching your vids.
What a great video. Thank you. I have been avoiding pruning my lilac, but am ready to go this year🙂
Great info!!! Thank you!
Excellent description! Super helpful thank you!
Thank you Scott.
Thanks for this. I did not know you had to prune them. I have 6 right now. Four are over 30 years old and wild. I will trim the other 2.
Thanks. Clear concise and a great reference going forward.
Glad it was helpful!