Imagine that you are inhaling the mysterious and strong scent of lilac, wafting in through your window on a warm summer evening. Lilacs are not difficult to grow if you give them plenty of water and plant them in full sun. There are more than 100 species of lilac flowers all of which grow as shrubs or trees and produce fragrant flowers. Read on to learn how to grow and care for lilacs.
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Part 1 of 3: Planting Lilac
Step 1. Choose a lilac bush to plant
Visit a plant nursery to select a variety of lilacs to plant. In addition to color, also pay attention to the height of the plant after it is finished growing. Some types of lilacs, such as Palibin' and Superba lilacs, grow into bushes 5 to 6 feet tall. Others, such as Syringa reticulata, grow into trees 20 to 30 feet tall.
- You can buy clean-rooted lilacs without any growing media or container-grown lilacs from your local nursery or from an online plant supply company. Your local nursery or plant sales center should be able to recommend which varieties of lilacs grow best in your area.
- You can also transplant a sapling from a friend or neighbor's lilac. Dig up and transplant lilac saplings from friends or neighbors in the spring, just as leaf buds are starting to form or when the newly opened leaves are still small. Choose a sapling that is at least 12 inches (30.5 cm) tall. Use a shovel to dig out the saplings from the ground with as many roots as possible. Cut off the connecting roots with a spade knife to separate the saplings from the mother plant.
Step 2. Choose a place to plant lilacs
Lilacs need full sun, so find a spot that receives at least 6 hours of sun each day and has good air circulation. Lilacs that grow in damp stagnant air or without enough sunlight are susceptible to disease. Lilacs also need well-draining soil. If drainage is the problem, create a mound or planting area for it before planting.
Avoid planting lilacs too close to walls or trees. Lilac roots need room to spread
Step 3. Prepare the lilacs for planting
Soak lilac roots in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Loosen the root clump using your fingers to gently separate the roots.
Step 4. Plan to plant the lilacs in the spring or fall
Dig a hole in the ground deep enough to bury the roots. The base of the lilac should lie at ground level. After planting the lilac in the hole, fill it halfway with soil, then water it before filling the rest of the hole again with soil. Make the soil level higher with natural mounds at the bottom of the plant base. Covering the base of the lilac beyond this point can compress the roots and cause the lilac to die.
- If the soil you live in is not very fertile, add compost, bone powder, or manure to the hole before planting lilacs. [5]
- Sprinkle lime in the soil over the lilac roots if you have acidic soil. Follow the manufacturer's application instructions and reapply every 3 to 5 years. Lilacs prefer a neutral to slightly acidic pH of 5 to 7.
- If you are planting more than one lilac bush, space the holes you dig 5-15 feet (1.5-4.6 m) apart, depending on what variety you are planting.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Lilac
Step 1. Make sure your lilacs are always watered
Water several times a week throughout the summer, unless it rains heavily in your area. Sprinkle plenty of water from the base of the plant and allow the soil to dry before you water it again.
Step 2. Fertilize the lilacs in the spring
Use compost or a balanced all-purpose fertilizer annually in the spring. Depending on the condition of your soil, you may want to fertilize again when the first flowers begin to bloom.
Step 3. Prune lilacs regularly to increase flower count and air circulation
Cut some of the oldest and largest branches that are as close to the ground as possible in late winter. Take branches from different areas, including the center, to open the lilac bush where needed. Never remove more than 1/4 of the number of branches per time.
- Remove diseased or damaged branches as well as split branches emerging from the base of the lilac as soon as you find them.
- Cut off dead flowers to prevent the plant from putting energy into the seeds that are forming.
- Prune the lilac bush again in the fall after it has finished flowering to shape it or remove branches that are producing only a few flowers.
Part 3 of 3: Cutting and Drying Lilacs
Step 1. Cut the lilacs when the flowers are mature
Cut flowers at their peak, when the color and aroma are strongest. This will ensure it lasts as long as possible on your flower arrangement. Place the lilac flowers in a vase filled with clean water immediately.
Step 2. Dry the lilacs by hanging them upside down
Collect a bunch of freshly harvested lilacs and tie the stems with a rubber band. Hang upside down in a cool, dark place for 1-3 weeks. Gently pick up the rubber band when the lilac is completely dry.
Dry the lilacs with silica gel. Fill a large glass or plastic container with an inch of silica gel. Place a few stalks of freshly harvested lilac into a container so that the flowers stand in a gel. Fill the remaining container space with gel so that it completely covers the flower. Cover the container and wait a week or so for the lilacs to dry. Remove the lilacs from the glass and use them in flower arrangements
Tips
- Spread ashes from the fireplace or campfire on the ground around and under your lilacs to increase the size and number of flowers produced.
- Although the chances of success are very low, it is still possible to propagate lilacs by taking a branch from a mature lilac tree. To increase your chances of success, try in early spring and cut off the tips of growing branches after leaf buds have formed but before the leaves open. Dip the tips of these branches into the water to see if roots can grow.
