Question
I have a lilac bush that I have had for three years.  This lilac has rolled green and brown leaves with red edges  I live in North East Ohio.  I have not seen rain in a long time and it's been extremely hot(90's).  I have been watering, but maybe too little, too much?.  What can I do right now to help it?  Andrea

Answer
Hello Andrea

As long as you haven't seen any pests on the lilac that might have caused the leaves to curl, then it does sound like a severe case of draught to me.

Watering little and often is really not the answer here.  You need to put the hosepipe close to the bush and let it run for at least an hour to give the roots a good soaking.  Once the ground is saturated you should lay a deep mulch - 2-3 inches deep - around the lilac, extending about 2 feet out.  This will help to cut down on evaporation, so that you only need to water about once a week to keep the bush alive.

Although your lilac may lose some of its leaves, ultimately it shouldn't come to any real harm.

Gill