busted lilac

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Janiejoy Silver Lake, OH(Zone 5b) Aug 01, 2003

Our lilac 'tree' - it's at least 10 feet tall - is broken! A huge branch of it just split off. The handyman cut it off with a saw - what should I do to the part that is left? Does it need protected somehow and if so, how?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Post #599875
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Gardener4Fun Sweetwater, TX(Zone 7a) Aug 05, 2003

How far down is it "broken?" What is left? Can you post a picture? I want to cut my leggy, not much flowering lilac 'tree' so I'm curious about what people will say to do to yours!

Post #605294
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Ponditis Lincoln City, OR(Zone 9a) Aug 10, 2003

The articles that I have read on lilac care say to cut back one third to one fourth of the shub (tree) every year so that it will push new growth and you won't lose all your blooms that way either. The new growth is more resistant to lilac borers and healthier done this way.

At one time we lived in a house where there was an old lilac tree that blocked the view of the mountains so I cut it back all the way to the ground that first year in August and it came up fine and did very well. Bloomed the second season from then too and the amount and size of blooms were well worth losing bloom for a year. Good luck.

Post #610259
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Gardener4Fun Sweetwater, TX(Zone 7a) Aug 10, 2003

Pond ~ Thanks!

Since I have a choice about when to prune, should I wait until fall, or next spring?

JJ~ FYI - Our neighbors' 7 foot lilac 'tree' was squished by a tree we had taken down. The neighbor assured us that it would grow back quickly, and - boy, it did! It is already 5 feet high a year later, with lots of new growth, and and it bloomed a bit.

Post #611082
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Ponditis Lincoln City, OR(Zone 9a) Aug 11, 2003

Lilacs are pruned after blooming just to let you enjoy the bloom that year. So you can prune it right now or later if you chose.

They usually won't bloom with very large bloom scapes that first year but the bloom later is superior in my experience.

Post #611570
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Janiejoy Silver Lake, OH(Zone 5b) Aug 11, 2003

Thanks for this info!!! I'm glad, because the lilacs are my favorite of all flowers that have fragrance (cosmos being my all time favorite of all flowers in the world)...

and I couldn't reach ANY to pick (being 5 feet tall, and not a ladder person!)

I am going to get someone with a saw to go out there and hack that puppy good so it can grow better.

CAN I ROOT THE CUTTINGS? If so, how do I do that? It'd be nice to have MORE lilacs on this property... and this one is the deep, dark purple color... it's very old - at least nine feet tall and quite large.

Post #611654
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Gardener4Fun Sweetwater, TX(Zone 7a) Aug 11, 2003

Here's a link about propagation and lilacs:
http://www.gardenersnet.com/lilac/lilac05.htm

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