Gardening : How to Prune Lilacs

Lilacs can be pruned with a standard set of pruning sheers, so long as you follow the proper directions. Prune lilacs with help from ...

This article is a summary of a YouTube video "Gardening : How to Prune Lilacs" by Blossom Flower Delivery

✂️ Pruning shrub lilacs can be done by completely cutting them to the ground, resulting in beautiful blooms two years later.

✂️ When thinning out the lilac, remove about one to two old branches for every ten shoots on the plant.

✂️ Wear protective eyewear and gloves when pruning lilacs.

✂️ The goal is to maintain new, young branches while removing some of the older ones.

✂️ If there are 20 or 30 young branches, remove about 10 to 20 percent of them.

✂️ Drastic pruning may cause damage initially, but it will help rejuvenate the lilac and promote new growth.

✂️ The ideal time to prune lilacs is before they bloom or after they bloom, depending on personal preference.

00:12 The speaker shows an overgrown 16-foot tall lilac that was probably planted 24 years ago.

00:19 He explains that these are shrub lilacs, not tree lilacs, and that they produce a lot of stems coming up out of the ground.

00:29 The speaker explains that he completely cut a lilac as big as this one to the ground two years ago, and it now has beautiful blooms.

00:54 He shows the beautiful blooms that you can cut as a flower once the lilac is pruned in this way.

01:09 The speaker explains that once the lilac is pruned in this way, you can go ahead and thin it out.

02:08 He explains that you should aim to maintain new young branches and remove some of the older ones to rejuvenate the lilac.

Cut the lilacs right to the ground, about two inches from the ground.

If your lilac is overgrown, you can completely cut it to the ground and it will still bloom beautifully.

The ideal time to prune lilacs is before they bloom or after they bloom.

It is recommended to remove one to two branches out of every ten.

Always wear protective eyewear and gloves when pruning lilacs.