Gardening Tips : How to Prune a Lilac Bush

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When pruning lilac bushes, make sure to trim back the deadwood after the plant is done blooming. Prune a lilac bush with tips from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening. Expert: Yolanda Vanveen Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash. Filmmaker: Daron Stetner

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My lilock bush is budding in October in Michigan....

I must say that these information are valuable! Pruning lilac bushes is very challenging but we should be careful because if it is left untended it will become unhealthy. Of course, what do we expect. But aside from its wonderful addition, the fragrance of Lilac is incredibly intoxicating.

Sprinkle lime around them every other year or so for growth and blooms...need a neutral to alkaline soil!

I have four lilac bushes ( over ten feet in ten years). They are getting out of control. Should I take a third off the top? Also, how much do I trim the sides. They are getting massive. I am getting blooms, but I can barely cut the grass underneath now with the branches everywhere. I have four different colors and all have a different fragrance. Thanks for any advice.

Is there anything wrong with letting suckers grow? I'd like to have my three lilacs kind of blend in together and I already see a pretty significant sucker on one of them and I have been hesitant to remove it.

Takes a few years to start blooming. Also be sure you don't prune too late. Prune right after the flowers die back. Otherwise you are cutting off next year's flowers.

Right after they are done blooming

IF U LIVE IN NY WHAT MONTHS OF THE YR R THE BEST TO PRUNE A LILAC WITHOUT HURTING THE FLOWERS FOR NEXT YRS GROWTH?

Syringa vulgaris (common lilac) needs pruning every few years because they're actually scraggly trees.

Here's an "unscientific" rule (really, scientific pruning for lilacs? ha ha): Bloom before June 1 -- cut back after flowering; bloom after June 1, cut back at the end of winter. Spring bloomers bloom on old wood -- previous-year growth. Summer bloomers bloom on new wood. Science enough for residential gardening.

I have never seen such a non-scientific approach to trimming.

@tirpitz19 You DO prune lilacs. They get lanky and out of shape, but don't do it while its in flower or in bud, wait until it has stopped blooming. You can be quite drastic, they are quite tolerant.

Now wait.....the best times to prune is any time they are not fowering? But then you get it right and say right after they are done blooming. So why are yu saying "any time they are not blooming" and then confuse people by qualifying the correct time?

@tirpitz19 Its full of buds this year too...if they get leggy you have to prune.

@bowler8 That sounds strange.You don't prune lilac.

Lilacs "set the bloom" late summer/early fall. The "sets" look like little green nubbin's/seeds--if you prune after the set you will cut off all next years flowers. SO, do your pruning soon after the flowers have finished. Spokane, The Lilac City

I cut mine back to the very ground, because it wasn't blooming...this year there are stacks of blooms...glad I did it