Question
I just moved into a house that had lilac bushes already planted, They are huge. When do you think mine will start blooming? I live in a small town in Pennsylvania right outside of Pittsburgh. The previous owner said they bloom mid march. But the bushes look very crooked. Do you think that would be an issue.

Answer
Dear Lauren,

Hello from "Coach Dave", I'm a garden expert and work for The Home Depot.  In regards to your Lilacs I'm just guessing you have "Syringa" type lilacs.  These are great for their colorful blooms as well as a great scent.

If you cut 1/3 to 2/3 of the Lilacs down, this will promote growth and especially new blooms.  Speaking of blooms, let's discuss the best way to make this happen.

First off, avoid using fertilizers high in nitrogen. A slow release general purpose fertilizer like Miracle Gro "shake and feed", Colorburst, or Osmocote Smart-Release Outdoor are great. A good mulch will help keep the Lilac happy and healthy.


Make sure there is as much light as possible. Not enough light will lead to problems like powdery mildew, and make for sparse blooms.

As for time, this depends on what the time of year.  March sounds about right for your area, but Lilacs can bloom weeks earlier and later.

In regards to the crooked Lilacs, this is most likely due to insufficient trimming the season before. Remove all older blooms as soon as possible. This includes dead branches to help the plant use it's energy to make new leaves and new blooms.

I hope this clears up all your Lilac questions,

Yours Sincerely,


Coach Dave