6 rules for perfect lilac care

We are used to the fact that lilacs are quite common in the city. It may seem that this shrub can grow on its own, without any maintenance. But this is a complete delusion, since lilacs will give a lush bloom only if they receive at least minimal care. In this article, you will find out which lilac care is the most correct.

A little about the familiar lilac

Indeed, the fragrant lilac that is familiar to us is quite unpretentious in care. It is easy to take care of it, besides, lilac seedlings can adapt to any climate and will live in it for decades. Lilac is a frost-resistant, gas- and drought-resistant plant, but still requires self-care. It may seem that this shrub can grow on its own, without any maintenance. Not true! This is a complete delusion, since lilacs will give a lush bloom only if they receive at least minimal care.

The impeccable reputation of lilacs is associated with frost resistance, the ability to live well in urban conditions, in dusty and gas-polluted places, with undemanding soil and light.

Considering such wonderful plant abilities, gardeners use lilacs in all kinds of terrain decorations: on alleys, hedges, lawns, flower beds, rabat beds.

True, "planted and forgotten" with lilacs will not work ... It will still have to be devoted to caring for her, albeit a little time. And if you want abundant and prolonged flowering, then it is worth regularly watering the plant, feeding it and maintaining the proper condition of the soil.

Everything is simple enough. The slogan “Minimum care - maximum flowering!” Is suitable for lilacs. Care is still necessary, and we will talk about this in sequence in this article.

Lilac care: how to water?

Lilacs are so hardy that they can easily do without regular watering. Systematic water procedures when caring for lilacs, as a rule, are not needed, but periodic ones are very necessary! The first abundant watering is carried out immediately after planting. Further, lilacs are well watered during flowering and a little earlier, when the shoots are gaining strength (especially when there is little rain in the spring). In summer, lilacs are remembered again, especially in dry summers. Although the shrub is drought tolerant, watering is necessary to protect the plant from overheating.

Lilac care: how to feed?

When caring for lilacs, top dressing is necessary only when it is actively gaining growth, that is, at the beginning of the season. Fertilizing this plant before rooting or in the pre-winter period is contraindicated!

It is also worth remembering: do not feed a young plant. True, if the plant is planted in a depleted soil, in which there is an insufficient amount of nutrients, then feeding is necessary, or rather, two per year. The first - in early spring, when young twigs appeared, the second - in June-July. In the second year, if the plant is planted in spring, fertilize with nitrogen or organic fertilizers.

Now about adult plants: they need to be fed differently. From the 3rd or 4th year, once a year, about 60 grams of fertilizers with ammonium nitrate or urea (nitrogen) are applied to each plant. And when the lilacs have faded, in the summer they add organic fertilizing (mullein or ash).

The so-called autumn dressing is given to the plant once every three years: this, as a rule, is a potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.

Any varieties of lilacs love organic and mineral feeding. Moreover, for young plants - dung, for mature - humus.

It is advisable to fertilize lilacs on cloudy days or in the late afternoon, or after the rain has passed. Fertilizer can be dissolved in water or applied directly to the soil.

Lilac care: pruning

Lilac care and pruning: useful video

Lilacs need regular pruning, cleaning and shaping. But all this must be started from the 3rd or 4th season, in the case of the formation of skeletal branches. Moreover, trimming alone will not help here. Lilacs need 3 different treatments.

• Basic pruning procedure suitable for all types of lilacs and stimulating flowering of the plant. Pruning is carried out in the summer when the bush has faded. Faded inflorescences are removed, which will stimulate lush flowering in the next season.
• The rejuvenating pruning procedure is performed in early spring. Suitable for the most mature bushes. If you do not skip this procedure, then the plant will get rid of cardinal rejuvenation, and there will be no pass in flowering. For this, thick shoots are removed every year and strong main (skeletal) branches are formed.
• If you have to do anti-aging pruning for very old bushes, then almost all the branches extending from the skeletal one are removed to the stumps. The next year, the flowering will not be so bright and lush due to the loneliness of the inflorescences. But every year the lilac will add and release more and more inflorescences.
• Formative pruning procedure. As a rule, the crown is not formed in lilacs. She already remarkably fulfills her landscape and pictorial task. But the root shoots, as well as dry and weakly growing shoots inward, are cut off. Thanks to these actions, the lilac forms strong skeletal shoots.

A crown is formed when caring for lilacs only in a few cases:

• when a more strict form is needed (regular lilac gardens), from the first years of life the plants set the growth vector and cut off young branches, thereby limiting the growth of the crown and giving a silhouette;
• hedges and tunnels require cutting off the tops of dense plants, and the sides are cut twice a year (spring and autumn) and achieve the desired shape;
• when a standard tree is needed, it is formed in a standard way, leaving the main skeleton, and the side branches are removed; the upper part of the bush is formed into a rounded crown.

How to loosen

A lilac bush will delight for a long time with lush brushes of flowers in all weather conditions, if the soil is supported loose and airy. This requires regular loosening. It is enough to loosen the soil three or four times a season and weed the weeds at the same time. For the first time, this is done in March, preferably after a period of precipitation or after moistening the soil.

It is worth remembering that lilac bushes can be loosened to a depth of no more than 5-7 cm.

How to mulch

The easiest way to achieve effective care for lilacs is by mulching. In this case, moisture retention will be stable, thus, the root system will be protected from overheating, and the quality of the soil and its structure will be maintained in proper order.

For the first mulching, a young plant is watered abundantly when planting. The thickness of the mulch layer is 5-7 cm, which should be kept constant and renewed every spring and autumn.

The mulching layer should consist of peat, humus, semi-ripe leaves and compost.

For young bushes in winter, create a protective covering mulch (layer 10 cm), which includes leaves or peat.

For the strength and invulnerability of the lilac

Lilac is a fairly persistent and hardy plant, but still it is not immune from any disease and harmful insects. Infected neighboring plants can add to the problems with lilacs, especially in the season when plant care was irregular.

As always, treatment is more difficult than prevention. Therefore, regular examination of the bushes for diseases (especially in summer and autumn) is the best solution.

Lilacs most often suffer from late blight and powdery mildew.Early diagnosis is the key to success! Here, a simple Bordeaux mixture and a variety of narrowly targeted fungicides will help to overcome the disease.

Late diagnosis threatens the death of the plant. Even cardinal pruning and regular treatments may not help in this case.

If your lilacs are chosen by harmful insects from leaf-gnawing and ticks, then you need to get rid of them urgently. Otherwise, their reproduction will quickly lead to plant baldness. Systemic insecticides will help fight pests. Due to narrowly targeted agents, time can be lost, and weakened lilacs can get sick from other pests.