Lilac Bushes

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brenb Kankakee, IL(Zone 5a) May 06, 2009

Iv'e taken some shoots from a lilac bush and now they are three years old they are big and healthy but will they every grow flowers?

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katiejohnsonius Austin, TX May 06, 2009

Maybe they need some nutrients. If they were mine, I would spread compost all 'round them, then mulch on top of that. Then water gently and slowly for a good while, (the whole area of the "crown" of the bush), so the compost nutrients make it down to the roots. I know of no other reason why a cutting would not bloom as well as its mother-plant. But I am no gardening genius.

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missingrosie Hillsborough, NC(Zone 7b) May 06, 2009

I have heard lilac shrubs have to be 4 feet tall or 4 seasons 'old' before the bloom arrives

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) May 06, 2009

Lilacs can take up to 5 years to bloom. I waited 3 years for mine only to have a disease take all the blooms away. This year, it bloomed again beautifully.

This message was edited May 13, 2009 8:00 PM

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brenb Kankakee, IL(Zone 5a) May 13, 2009

Thank you all for the info!

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rhodiegirl Deering, NH(Zone 5a) May 14, 2009

Don't always believe what you hear about age or anything when it comes to lilacs. I have a young lilac the produces flowers being very young. It all depends on what color the lilac is first of all. The regular color is the main one that will produce flowers, that being the light purple. The blue and white take much longer to produce flowers.

As far as mulch goes, DO NOT put mulch near the base of the plant. That's one thing everyone recommends. Keep it about an inch from the base. Plus to keep the powder mold off, water it in the morning so that it has the day to soak in. DON'T water it at night. I learned a lot from my lilacs when I used to live in the southern part of NH. My lilacs down there are still going strong. I have the normal color lilacs here and the white ones. I still have not gotten the white ones to bloom yet.

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