Lilac Plant Fertilizer Learn How And When To Feed A Lilac Bush

Fertilize lilacs with a high Phosphorous formula in early spring, to promote blooming. Too much nitrogen in the soil, will result in poor blooms. Use a general purpose fertilizer in early summer. Tip: Spread some fireplace ash around the drip line of your bush, for bigger and better blooms.

When should I fertilize my lilacs?

Begin feeding lilacs in their second year. Fertilize in early spring before new growth appears by broadcasting or scattering fertilizer directly on the soil around the base of the plants. Apply a slow-release or organic fertilizer after temperatures rise in late spring or early summer.

What should I feed my lilacs?

Plant lilacs in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. Feed lilacs in spring with Miracle-Gro® Shake 'n Feed® Flowering Trees & Shrubs Plant Food. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage shrubs to set more blooms for the following season. Prune to encourage blooming.

What can I do to make my lilac bush bloom?

A lilac bush needs at least 6 hours of sun or more in order to bloom their very best. You can move it or prune back the trees shading it. Be aware that moving it may cause it to not bloom for another entire year so be patient. Also, you might need to thin the bush to make sure sunlight is getting through the foliage.

Are coffee grounds good for lilacs?

Using Fresh Coffee Grounds

Grow lilacs in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil (at a pH near 7.0). If your soil is in poor condition, add compost to enrich.

How do you rejuvenate a lilac bush?

One way to renew a large, overgrown lilac is to cut the entire plant back to within 6 to 8 inches of the ground in late winter (March or early April). This severe pruning will induce a large number of shoots to develop during the growing season.

What's the best fertilizer for lilacs?

Bone meal is a great fertilizer for lilac bushes. This is because it makes soil more alkaline. It is a natural plant food easy for the lilac to intake. Fertilizing lilacs isn't strictly necessary except after the first and second years of planting.

Is Epsom salt good for lilacs?

Lastly, lilacs do not like overly acidic soil. One trick to encouraging them to bloom is fertilizing them with Epsom salts during the dormant period. ... Epsom salts are a good natural fertilizer for lilacs and tomatoes. Add about one cup of Epsom salts to the soil around the drip line of the plant.

How do I care for a lilac bush?

Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant, followed by mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Water during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Lilacs won't bloom if they're overfertilized. They can handle a handful of 10-10-10 in late winter, but no more.

Is bone meal good for lilacs?

Bone meal is an excellent choice for flowering shrubs such as lilacs. It has an NPK of 3-15-0. I would apply bone meal around the drip line in early spring as well as late summer. Pruning promotes blooming as well.

Should I cover my lilac bush?

Lilacs perform well if protected during the winter. Covering shrubs can prevent some of the major types of winter damage, and should be seriously considered by gardeners living in areas where winters are very harsh, or for plants in highly exposed areas of the garden, such as hillsides.

What month do you prune lilac bushes?

The time to prune mature lilac plants is just after the flowers have faded in the spring. Lilacs set next season's flower buds almost immediately, so late pruning will mean sacrificing the next year's flowers.

Why didn't my lilac tree bloom this year?

However, there are several reasons why they don't bloom. Growing conditions: Lilacs like a slightly alkaline soil (pH 6-7), even moisture and plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours). So, if you have very acid soil, a dry summer while buds are forming or your plant doesn't get enough sun, you may get few or no blooms.

Are eggshells good for lilacs?

Eggshells can be added to the soil anytime. Pulverize them and sprinkle them around your lilac bushes, gently turning them into the top few inches of your soil. Take care not to damage any roots and water thoroughly to help leech the eggshells into the soil.

Are banana peels good for lilacs?

Organic Lilac Food

Grass clippings and coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen, but use them sparingly in compost. Banana peels offer potassium to the soil.

Are banana peels good for the garden?

Banana peels are good for gardens because they contain 42 percent potassium (abbreviated to its scientific name K), one of the three major components of fertilizer along with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and shown on fertilizer labels as NPK. In fact, banana peels have the highest organic sources of potassium.

What is the lifespan of a lilac bush?

1. Lilacs live a long time. Some lilacs shrub varieties can live 200 years, so think about this when you plant them and put them in a place where they aren't likely to be disturbed. Two of the most fragrant are 'Miss Kim' and plain old Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac.

How do you deadhead a lilac bush?

To deadhead lilacs, simply snip the dead flower, leaving the stem and leaves in place. If you see next year's growth, leave it be. Now with my dwarf Bloomerang, I want to encourage a second blooming, which should take place towards the end of the summer or early fall.

Can you keep a lilac bush small?

An older lilac may stop blooming if neighboring trees have grown up to cast shade on it. Lilacs need regular renewal pruning to thin them out and control their size. ... Since common lilac is a big shrub or a small tree, growing 8 to 20 feet tall and almost as wide, it can simply be too much shrub for smaller yards.

Is there a difference between a lilac tree and a lilac bush?

To clear up any confusion, there is no difference between a lilac bush and a lilac tree, they are the same plant just called by different names.

Why doesn't my lilac bush have flowers?

A. There are several possible reasons why your lilac fails to bloom. The most common cause is lack of adequate sunlight. Lilacs (Syringa) need to be planted in a location that receives at least six hours of strong, direct sun per day.