[imported_Sara]

I have two lilac bushes near my house that I planted 6 years ago. They had blossoms on them when I planted them and they bloomed the following year, but they've never bloomed since. Anyone know why and what I can do to make them bloom again?

 

[BoatDog]

I don't know for sure - but my mom had a lilac at the side of the house for 10 years that didn't bloom - we didn't even know it was a lilac until the year I bought her one for mother's day - then the old one started blooming. Someone told me there are male and female lilacs and that when we planted the new one it made the old one bloom - even though they're far apart. (don't know for sure if this is true!)

 

[JLMom]

I love lilac bushes...my parents had one in our backyard growing up and someone a few blocks over from me has several. I love walking by that house to smell the lilacs.

I found this on a gardener forum...might help: http://www.helpfulgardener.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1592

 

[JollyMolly]

Ok a dumb question. The house we are buying had lilacs and some are purple and some are white. Is there such thing as white lilacs?

 

[BoatDog]

Yes - also pinkish too!

 

[MidwestGirl]

Yes there are white lilacs! I love lilacs.

 

[imported_delmonico]

Mine froze this year, no blooms. I have the old very hardy type, plated them between the fence and the alley so I don't have to mow it and along the side to shade the air unit. I do know they need a good trimming every few years.

 

[deezeldog]

I have two lilac bushes near my house that I planted 6 years ago. They had blossoms on them when I planted them and they bloomed the following year, but they've never bloomed since. Anyone know why and what I can do to make them bloom again?

If it has stopped blooming altogether, I would give it a good pruning and next year it should come back. One of the things you need to do with a lilac is cut off the spent blooms at the end of the blooming season. Unlike some other flowering shrubs, it does not benefit from having old wood left.

If it is really rangy (tall and unkempt looking) cut back some of the old wood very hard. I did this last year to mine and it is now a really nice compact shape and bloomed like crazy this spring.

 

[imported_Sara]

I'd heard about the male/female thing from friends (which is odd since they only have one and theirs blooms yearly). I didn't know how that applied since they had both bloomed in the past. I will try cutting it way back this year and see what happens. I haven't ever pruned it, even when it bloomed, so that may be the problem.

Thanks for the link too. No lawn, so no chemicals. Maybe poor soil though. I have mostly sandy/clay type soil. I did put potting soil in the hole when I planted them, but I'm sure that's long gone.

 

[Lilprincee]

I have one lilac and it has never bloomed either. When I bought it about 3 maybe 4 years ago it was blooming. Planted it and it has never had another bloom. My SU dug it up and put it in a different spot. It does seem to be growing but still no blooms. What is the wood ash they were talking about. Is it really just ashes from wood, if not where do you get it.

 

[MickeysMom]

Thanks for the awesome advice, I knew we were doing something wrong with ours because we had such wildly inconsistant bloom results. This year, the one that has never bloomed (I actually forgot what color they were) bloomed, but the one that always bloomed didn't. The only difference was that I'd finally trimmed the one I planted, and hadn't trimmed the one that came with the house because it didn't look like it needed it.

I'm going to trim the heck out of all of them once the ones that bloomed are done, but with a little luck, new owners will enjoy the benefits next year.

 

[imported_delmonico]

Yep, they mean ashes left from burnt wood, know any one that has a wood stove?

 

[imported_nellies mom]

I have dwarf lilacs. They are much hardier than the large ones and don't need as much sun. They have tiny, heart shaped leaves and masses and masses of flowers in the spring which do not need to be cut off after bloom if you're lazy like me. ;D

What you need to do is prune the spent flowers after the bush blooms. If there are no blooms prune anyway to shape the plant. I only fertilize with compost or manure in my garden; saves on worrying if Nellie or the other animals and birds in the yard will be poisoned by fertilizer.

 

[kaisdad]

Here are the lilacs in my back yard.

 

[imported_Sara]

Man...those are just beautiful! That's why I hope I can make mine bloom. It's no fun to have a plant you love, but are unable to enjoy the blossoms. Great pictures.

 

[imported_delmonico]

I think I planted about 18 bushes, I bought 24 in 97 but I gave a few away, late April is our blooming time, my wife loves them and I ussually fill the house with them on here birthday, April 26th. Several nights in the low 20's and upper teens in the early part of April took all my booms this year. When a get back from a trip I'm getting ready for June, 1-3 I need to trim mine read good, I expect a couple pick-up loads of brush. ;D

 

[imported_Sambucasmom]

I will try and post a picture of mine...it is huge! You can prune them to shape, but do it soon. Lilacs develop next years blloms shortly after blooming season. So the buds they create over the summer, will bloom next year. Many people make the mistake of pruning late and actually cut the blooms off.

 

[mattgusmum]

I love Lilacs. I was brought up with a huge one in my parents front yard and Lily of the Valley