when to trim lilac bushes

These shoots take energy and nutrients away from your bush so cut them back with pruners or a mower when you see them. This gives the new buds a chance to develop in time for the next season.

Tips For Pruning Lilacs To Encourage Blooms For Next Year Lawn And Garden Garden Shrubs Amazing Gardens

Pruning is a critical part of owning a healthy lilac bush.

. When should lilac bushes be trimmed. When pruning lilac bushes make sure to trim back the deadwood after the plant is done bloomin. Its best to trim lilac bush in early spring while it is still bare with minimal leaves. This allows new shoots time to develop the next season of blooms.

Pruning too late can kill young developing buds. As a spring flowering shrub lilacs set their blooms in mid to late summer for the following year. The Best Explanation The general rule is to cut no more than a third of the stems each year. The best time for pruning older lilac bushes is right after their flowering has ceased.

When Can I Prune A Lilac Bush. For most areas of the US the first half of June will be best once the flowers have withered away. Failing to properly prune your lilacs in a timely manner can severely hamper their long-term health. This is also when temperatures are milder as well.

When cutting lilac trees and shrubs to within inches of the ground early spring is the optimal time. The best time to prune a lilac bush is once the flowers have finished blooming which is usually between April and June. New stems will develop as soon as the old ones die which will help the plant remain vital. This timing ensures that youre able to enjoy the full blooming period and prune plants before summer fully takes hold.

The best month to prune lilacs is usually late May or the first half of June soon after they finish blooming says Pangborn. This gives young shoots ample time to produce next years flowers. Part of the series. If you want to prune more deeply you can do it in the spring or early summer when the new growth is just beginning to form.

4 Keep a few strong stems then cut back the rest next winter. Cut branches back selectively to shape the dwarf lilac bush as desired removing no more than one-third of any stem and making a clean cut just above a bud facing in the desired direction. If you prune in fall or early spring youll be removing some or all of its buds and you will not get the spectacular flower display youre anticipating. This is when there is a lot of new growth on the bush usually around March and April.

The best time to prune your lilacs is right after they are finished blooming. You can also trim back lilac bushes to maintain them at a specific height if desired. Late pruning of lilacs might damage budding buds. Once your lilacs start dropping their buds it is time to prune them.

The optimal time to prune lilac bushes is immediately after their flowers have faded. Do this shortly after theyve flowered as well. How to Prune a Lilac Bush. Most lilacs dont require pruning until they reach about 6 to 8 feet tall.

Dwarf lilacs generally require much less pruning for shaping and height control than standard-size lilac trees and shrubs. Deadheading should be done as soon as possible after the flowers fade. Cut back a third of the oldest branches of the plant to about 15 inches from. Generally speaking prune immediately after flowering is the golden rule of lilac maintenance.

For lilac bushes prune every year to remove old flowers a few weeks after flowering. As your plant grows back look out for suckers or small shoots that grow around the base of your lilac bush that arent part of the bush itself. Lilac bushes can get tall and leggy and knowing how to prune them will give you years of beautiful fragrant flowers on manageable plants. If your lilac bush becomes too large you can decide to prune it in the fall.