Common lilac planting and care. Common lilac: description, planting, propagation and care. Lilac: proper care

Lush clusters of blooming lilacs appear in May and delight with their beautiful blooms and delicate aroma for several weeks. Many gardeners grow shrubs to decorate their summer cottages single plantings, decorative groups or lilac hedges. This plant tolerates winter frosts well, is resistant to drought and does not cause any problems in care. You can grow it yourself even with minimal gardening experience.

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Description of the plant

Lilac is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub from the olive family, growing from 2 to 8 m in height. natural environment The plant lives in the mountainous regions of Eurasia. The diameter of the trunks with dark gray bark can reach 20 cm. The leaves are light or dark green, have different shapes depending on the variety, they bloom early and do not fall until late autumn.

The flowers are small, collected in paniculate inflorescences, reaching a length of 20 cm, and can be painted in all shades of white, pink or purple. The flower is a four-toothed, bell-shaped calyx with two stamens and a long tube. Depending on the variety, variety and climatic conditions, flowering of the shrub begins with last days April to early June. At this time, the plant emits a delicate, pleasant aroma. The fruits are two-leaf capsules with several winged seeds.

Popular varieties of lilac:

Name	Description	Photo
Amur lilac	This popular type of lilac is shade-tolerant and grows in moist soil. The height of a multi-stemmed tree can reach 20 m. The leaves, in their shape, resemble the foliage of common lilac. Their color changes from green-purple when they bloom to purple or orange-yellow in the fall. The flowers are white or cream, collected in long panicles. The species is resistant to frost and is used in single and group plantings and for growing hedges.	Amur lilac
Lilac Kolesnikova	This group represents unique varieties bred by self-taught breeder Leonid Kolesnikov. After the death of the breeder, many of the varieties were lost forever due to negligence, and now you can find about 50 varieties of lilacs bred by him. Some of them are presented in a single copy. Kolesnikov's lilac is distinguished by its unique colors and flower shapes; many of them, due to the variability of shade, cannot be classified in any varietal group	Lilac Kolesnikova Beauty of Moscow
Hungarian lilac	This type of lilac grows in the Carpathians and is a shrub up to 7 m in height. The leaves are wide, oval-shaped, up to 12 cm long, dark green in color. Small purple flowers are collected in narrow panicles. The pale form with soft purple flowers and the red form with reddish-purple flowers are grown in gardens.	Hungarian lilac
Mayer's lilac	This species is compact in size and has a height of up to one and a half meters. The leaves are small oval, up to 4 cm long, dark green. Flowers of a light lilac-pink hue form erect inflorescences up to 10 cm long	Mayer's lilac
Persian lilac	This hybrid variety is a shrub up to 3 m high with thin, dense, lanceolate-shaped leaves. The flowers reach 2 cm in diameter and have a light purple or blue tint. They grow white Persian lilac, red and dissect-leaved. The last form is dwarf plant with small openwork leaves	Persian lilac
Chinese lilac	A hybrid variety between common lilac and Persian lilac, bred by French breeders in 1777. The height of the bushes can reach 5 m. The leaves are pointed, lanceolate, dark green in color, up to 10 cm long. The flowers of a bright purple hue reach 18 mm in diameter, collected in wide drooping inflorescences up to 10 cm long. The most common forms: double with double flowers, pale purple and dark purple	Chinese lilac
Hyacinth lilac	This hybrid variety was bred by Victor Lemoine by crossing common lilac and broadleaf lilac. The leaves are heart-shaped with a pointed end and dark green in color, turning purple in the fall. The flowers are like ordinary lilacs, collected in loose inflorescences. The most popular varieties: Churchill, Esther Staley, People's Glory	Lilac hyacinth Esther Staley

Planting lilacs

Proper planting of a shrub greatly facilitates its care in the future. For lilacs, it is important to choose the right site. The plant prefers a well-lit place protected from gusts of wind. In the shade it develops poorly and may not bloom.

It is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the soil. In flooded areas, which are often found in the Leningrad region or in the Moscow region, the crop is not capable of growing. Wetlands or places with close groundwater are unsuitable for its cultivation. The shrub loves light fertile soil, moderately moist and rich in humus.

Under natural conditions, lilac grows in the mountains, so it blooms in the spring when there is a lot of rainfall. In the summer, the plant enters a dormant period, and in the fall it can bloom again. It is best to plant it at a time when lilacs are dormant, that is, from mid-summer to early September. A crop planted in spring or autumn will not develop well.

When purchasing seedlings, it is preferable to choose specimens with a closed root system and good branching. If the roots of the seedling are open, then before planting they are carefully examined, diseased and broken ones are cut off, and healthy ones are trimmed to a length of 30 cm. It is also recommended to shorten shoots that are too long, and remove damaged ones completely.

Before planting lilacs in fertile soil, make holes with steep walls 50 cm wide and the same depth. If the soil is poor, then the size should be doubled in order to fill the remaining space with nutritious soil when planting, consisting of:

20 kg of compost;
30 g superphosphate;
300 g wood ash.

If the soil on the site is acidic, it is recommended to double the amount of ash. The distance between the pits should be from 2 to 3 m, depending on the type of lilac. When planting a hedge, it can be reduced to one and a half meters.

Step-by-step instructions for planting lilacs:

1. Be sure to lay a drainage layer of broken brick, expanded clay or crushed stone at the bottom of the prepared pit.
2. Pour fertile soil on top in the form of a slide.
3. Place the seedling on the mound, straightening the roots.
4. Fill the remaining space with fertile soil. When planting seedlings, leave the root collar 3–4 cm above the ground level.
5. Water the seedling generously and mulch the tree trunk circle.

Garden care

It is necessary to care for lilacs only in the first few years after planting; adult plants provide themselves with nutrients and will only require regular pruning.

In summer, during a long absence of rain, the crop needs to be watered abundantly. Adult bushes obtain moisture on their own.

Trimming

Pruning for sanitary purposes can be done at any time of the year. During the flowering period, you should promptly get rid of faded inflorescences by cutting them off. Lilac thickens as it grows, so you need to regularly cut out one or two old branches to form a spreading bush. It is also necessary to remove excess young growth, cutting it to the soil level.

You should not prune in the fall, as an unhealed cut can lead to the branch freezing in winter.

Lilac pruning scheme

In case of weak growth and poor branching, short stimulating pruning is carried out. The following year, formative pruning is carried out. After another year, the shoots growing inside the bush are cut off, and last year’s shoots are shortened by 1/3.

In the third year, pruning is carried out according to the same scheme. After the formation of a dense crown without voids, annual shoots are not cut off so that flower buds form on them. Subsequently, they only maintain its shape by cutting off unnecessary shoots.

Feeding

In the first three years after planting, the plant needs a small amount nitrogen fertilizers. In the second year, 65 g of ammonium nitrate and 50 g of urea are added to each bush.

Instead of chemicals, you can use organics. Lilacs respond well to feeding with slurry: 1 to 3 buckets are required for each bush. To obtain it, cow manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. A furrow is dug 50 cm from the trunk and the resulting solution is poured there.

Every 2–3 years, potassium and phosphate fertilizers are applied: 35 g of double superphosphate and 30 g of potassium nitrate per plant. The granules are buried to a depth of 6–8 cm and the bush must be watered abundantly. Instead, you can use an ash solution prepared from 8 liters of water and 200 g of ash.

Protection from diseases

In August, bacterial necrosis may appear on leaves and shoots. When infected, the leaves become ash-gray and the shoots turn brown. To get rid of the disease, it is necessary to increase the ventilation of the crown, for which it must be thinned out, removing the affected branches. If the bush is severely damaged, it cannot be saved and it is uprooted.

Bacterial rot appears on all parts of the plant. It manifests itself in the form of wet spots that quickly increase in size. As a result, the leaves become limp and dry out, and the shoots also dry out and become deformed. To treat the bush, it is necessary to treat it with a solution of copper oxychloride 3-4 times with an interval of 10 days.

When affected by powdery mildew, the lilac becomes covered with a whitish coating, which, as the disease progresses, thickens and becomes brown. When the first signs of infection appear, damaged parts must be cut out and burned. The soil around the bush must be dug up, and the plant itself is treated with fungicidal preparations. As a preventative measure, in early spring the soil is dug up and 100 g of bleach is added to each m².

Verticillium wilt appears on lilacs as rusty or brown spots on the leaves, causing them to curl and fall off. The disease starts from the top of the plant and quickly spreads throughout the bush. Damaged areas are cut out and burned. The same goes for fallen leaves. For treatment, prepare a solution: 100 g of soda ash and the same amount of laundry soap are diluted in 15 liters of water. The product is used for spraying.

Pest Control

Among the crop pests, the lilac hawkmoth can be a nuisance. It's a butterfly large sizes, which is active at night. Lilacs are attacked by large, up to 11 cm in length, caterpillars. At the back of their body they have a dense horn-shaped growth. To kill the insect, use a 1% concentration of Phthalofos solution.

On a lilac hedge you can see small caterpillars of the lilac moth. These voracious creatures completely destroy the buds, flowers and leaves of the plant, leaving behind only coiled veins. To combat the pest, use Karbofos and Fozalon according to the instructions.

The lilac leaf mite feeds on sap from lilac leaves. As a result of their influence, the leaves become brown and dry out. To combat the pest, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of copper or iron sulfate. As preventive measures, it is recommended to thin out the crown in time, burn fallen leaves in the fall and feed the crop with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Kidneys can be damaged by lilac kidney mite. He spends the winter in them and feeds on their juices. This leads to deformation of the buds and the growth of weak, underdeveloped shoots and leaves. To avoid the death of the bush, in early spring the foliage is removed from under it and burned, and young shoots are removed. The soil in the tree trunk circle is dug up to the length of a bayonet and the soil must be turned over. The plant itself is sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate.

The foliage of a lilac bush can be affected by leafminer moths. In this case, first dark spots appear on the leaves, and then they curl up, as if exposed to fire. The plant stops blooming and dies within one to two years. To destroy the insect, the crop is generously sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or Baktofit solution. To prevent infection, plant remains and fallen leaves are removed and burned in the fall. In late autumn and early spring, for the same purpose, they dig deep soil in the tree trunk circle.

Lilac propagation

There are several ways to propagate lilacs and get young bushes. Seed is used very rarely. In the country, the crop is usually propagated by cuttings or root shoots. Vaccinations are less common.

Seedlings available for sale are both self-rooted and grafted. The latter are more capricious and require careful handling. Self-rooted lilacs recover more easily after frosty winters and reproduce well by vegetative means.

Seeds

To obtain seed material, the boxes are collected in the fall in wet weather. This way they will not open and the seeds will not spill out. The boxes are dried at home for several days, then opened and the seeds are taken out.

Lilac seed pods

Before planting, the seeds are stratified: mixed with moistened sand and placed in containers with drainage holes, then sent to the refrigerator for 2 months. In March they are sown in a box with disinfected soil. Shoots appear after 10 days, but depending on the variety, this period can increase to 3 months. After the second pair of leaves appears, the seedlings are planted in separate pots. They can be planted in open ground in May.

Cuttings

Lignified shoots are not suitable for cuttings; only young green branches are used for this purpose. Cuttings are cut at the beginning of the flowering period; each of them should have 1 internode and 2 buds. The lower cut is made at a distance of 1 cm from the bud, the leaves are torn off. In order for the seedling to take root better, it should be treated with a growth stimulator.

Prepared cuttings are planted to a depth of 1 cm.

Lilac propagation by cuttings

Cuttings can also be rooted at home. To do this, use containers with lids filled with nutritious soil and coarse sand in half. During rooting, maintain a temperature of +25 to +28 °C. Caring for them consists of daily spraying with water. The roots will appear in 30 days, and in the fall they should be planted in an area protected from the wind.

Root shoots

Root shoots can be separated from the beginning of June until the young shoots darken. The procedure is carried out on a cloudy day to prevent drying out of weak roots. It is first recommended to moisten the soil around the mother plant. Boxes with wet sand are prepared in advance and separated shoots, which have small roots 3 to 5 cm long, are transferred into them. After this, they are transplanted into a cold greenhouse, keeping an interval of 5 cm.

In the first week, the greenhouse is kept under film and the cover is removed twice a day for spraying and ventilation. After this, the plants open completely. Irrigate them as needed. After 2 months, the young bushes will get stronger and can be planted on permanent place. Care consists of timely watering and regular thinning.

Vaccination

Most often, the copulation method is used for grafting. With this method, the shoots of the scion and rootstock should have the same thickness, and their tissues should match as much as possible. Copulation can be done at the root collar into a standard or into the crown. If all steps are performed correctly, the scion site will grow together in 2.5 months.

The procedure should be carried out before the start of sap flow. For simple copulation, oblique cuts are made on the scion and rootstock at an angle of 45 degrees, placed next to each other and tied tightly with twine.

In some cases, English copulation is performed, making additional cuts to the longitudinal axis at an angle of 45 degrees.

Copulation. A - simple, B - English

Grafted plants need careful care. They need to be watered on time, as well as loosen the tree trunk circle and then mulch the soil. The bushes need to be tied to a support.

By layering

When propagating by layering, a furrow is dug next to the mother plant, and then the lower branches of the bush are bent to it. They are attached to the ground with special wooden brackets and covered with soil so that part of the shoot with several buds remains on the surface. By autumn, the branch will take root and can be separated from the mother plant.

Reproduction by layering

Caring for layering involves timely watering. This method is the simplest; it allows you to get several fully developed young bushes in one season. But this option is not suitable for all varieties of lilac.

There are about 30 types of lilac. Species are divided into groups. The most popular is the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) from the group of Common lilacs. The varieties have very large flowers and inflorescences. Flowers vary in shape - simple, double and semi-double with different arrangements of petals. The color can be not only lilac, like the main species, but also white, pinkish, bluish, and purple.

The description of lilac varieties is so diverse that it allows you to choose a plant to suit every taste, not only in terms of flowering quality, but also in other characteristics.

For private gardens, varieties with compact, not too tall bushes are preferred, for example:

‘Madame Charles Souchet’

'Henri Robert'

‘Mrs. Edward Harding'

If the garden is small and you intend to plant several lilac seedlings, it is better to choose outstanding varieties that have significant differences:

'Katherine Havemeyer'

'Flora 1953'

'Buffon'

When caring for and growing common lilac and its varieties, remember that they are really unpretentious, but cannot tolerate waterlogging and acidic soils.

Lilacs belonging to the Hairy group bloom later.

Widespread and known for its unpretentiousness in growing, Hungarian lilac ( S. josikaea) It is resistant to both drought and temporary waterlogging. A free-growing Hungarian hedge can protect the area from noise and dust. Hairy lilacs also have varieties, although there are fewer of them and they are not as diverse as varieties of common lilac. These varieties are also called late hybrids, because they bloom at a time when the common lilac varieties have already faded.

These are large shrubs with a dense spreading crown. These types of lilacs look great in landscape design– for example, in groups, including with other bushes and trees. You can form groups from different varieties.

For example, very decorative:

‘Miss Canada’ with reddish flowers

‘Agnes Smith’ with an unusual creamy white color

‘Calphurnia’ with drooping purple inflorescences

When planting fluffy lilacs in the Moscow region, one should take into account its smaller size and relatively low winter hardiness.

Low, up to 1.5 m, small-leaved lilac ( S. microphylla) Can be planted in a flower garden or rock garden. For the winter, it must be covered.

Julia lilac (S. julianae) overwinters without shelter in a protected location.

Species from the subgenus Ligustrin - tree lilacs - are similar to each other, but very different from other lilacs. Their small white flowers with protruding stamens more closely resemble privet flowers.

Reticulated lilac, also called Japanese ( S. reticulata) , is a large plant that blooms later than other lilacs, in late June - July. It is of particular interest for large areas, although it is also suitable for ordinary ones.

We are better known for its variety - Amur lilac ( S. reticulata ssp.amurensis) .

Caring for lilacs from the Ligustrin subgenus is more labor-intensive: it is much more demanding in relation to soil moisture than other lilacs.

You should not plant and care for lilacs of different varieties, but with similar characteristics, very close to each other. In comparison, one of the species will always lose.

How to plant a lilac seedling correctly

Skilled gardeners claim that planting of this shrub- it’s a simple matter. In addition, if everything is done correctly, the plant feels very comfortable in any garden. However, you need to know exactly how to plant lilacs of different sizes and ages: for example, older bushes are more vulnerable, but seedlings practically do not require any special treatment or close attention.

Let's first figure out when and how to plant a lilac seedling so that it will delight you in the near future. It is best to plant and care for lilacs in the Moscow region in the second half of August, covering the whole of September. Experts recommend this particular time period, since the bush still has a certain amount in reserve. warm days in order for the root system to take root safely.

But what should you do if the favorable period for planting lilacs in the ground has been missed? There’s definitely no need to panic, but we recommend taking a few things into account.

Let’s imagine that you hesitate a little and will have to finish planting shrubs on days when the temperature rapidly drops to 0°C. Advice for situations like this: planting material should be carefully buried in an inclined position in an area protected from northern winds. Of course, you postpone the planting procedure itself until the spring. Please note that this trick will only work with young seedlings, but adult specimens will have to be left until the beginning of autumn.
If frosts have not yet arrived, but they are about to come to you, you should take the following steps: firstly, the soil under the bush must be sprinkled with either dry leaves or peat. You certainly do this only after you have watered the plant. This move, which experts call mulching, will help save lilacs from the coming cold weather. But be extremely careful that this same move does not cause lilac disease - more specifically, its rotting if sudden warming occurs. Therefore, sprinkle the bush so that the layer of mulch is not too close to the trunks.
And remember one more important thing: this shrub in temperate latitudes grows quite early. Therefore, planting should be done before the buds begin to swell.

To know how to properly plant and care for lilacs in the spring, see the photo, which shows one of the key points - regular watering of the plant:

In addition, you need to ensure that water does not stagnate in the soil. And for this you will have to loosen the area under the bush. Experienced gardeners also advise treating spring seedlings with stimulants for better root formation. This is done in cases where the appearance of the plant indicates that the bush is withering.
Planting and caring for lilacs in open ground is a little complicated: the fact is that the next summer after planting the bush, symptoms such as poor flowering and a small number of new shoots may appear. In such cases, the plant needs an eye and an eye - protection from sunlight and gusts of wind, regular watering and spraying.

When we figured out what time is best to plant lilacs, let's turn our attention to its territorial placement. Gardening experts say that the ideal conditions for this mission are:

firstly, flat areas or areas with a gentle slope but reliable drainage;
It is also important that groundwater is not very close to the surface;
in addition, keep in mind that the soil must be fertile and moist;
a sufficient amount of sunlight during the day is a must;
and, of course, northern winds should not blow through the bushes.

Be sure to look at the photo of a lilac planted correctly: such a lush color is possible only when the plant grows in well-lit places.

Otherwise, instead of delighting you with an abundance of flowers, the bush will grow and stretch.

But that's not so bad! If you choose unsuitable soil for a bush, you will definitely destroy it. Remember that lilacs can grow in poor soils, but in acidic ones they have great difficulty. The situation can be corrected if you try to constantly maintain low acidity by, for example, adding lime or ash to the ground. But in areas where water constantly stagnates, the plant will not be able to develop. Wetlands are hell for lilacs.

How to properly care for lilacs when growing in the garden

Growing lilacs in the garden requires that the bushes be located at a certain distance from each other. Do you want to get a shrub in its natural size? Then provide him with enough free space - three meters on all sides. But we understand perfectly well that it is rarely possible to live on a grand scale. Therefore, let's try to moderate our appetites! However, keep in mind that there must be a distance of at least one and a half meters between the seedlings. If you want to create a lilac hedge on your site, dig holes for the plant at a distance of about 1 m.

When asked how to properly care for lilacs, experienced gardeners They answer as follows: it is necessary at the very beginning, firstly, to prepare a hole of suitable size for the bush, and, secondly, to decide on fertilizers.

Thus, if you are planting a bush in a cultivated area, then the hole should correspond to the size of the roots of the seedling. On soils that are considered less fertile, shrubs are planted in larger holes.

Regarding what to fertilize the soil with, gardening experts say the following: in poor soils they certainly add, for example, wood ash, organic matter - the same compost - or all kinds of minerals - phosphates and potassium. But it is not recommended to use nitrogen supplements. Just like bird droppings, by the way.

Knowing how to care for lilacs, you will accurately calculate when and what needs to be added to the soil for favorable growth and development of the plant. So it will not be news to you that annual fertilizing is carried out in the spring, and those bushes that were planted in holes already filled with fertilizers do not need any minerals and nutrients for three years.

But in the fourth year of existence, it’s time to start fertilizing the area under the bushes with organic additives. And this should be done in summer period.

Please note that the already mentioned phosphates and potassium are used for feeding every two years in autumn period. By the way, ordinary ash can serve as an alternative.

As we have already said and you can see in the photo, caring for lilacs involves regular watering of the plant when it blooms and produces new shoots:

In addition, of course, they do not forget to constantly weed and loosen the soil.

How to prune lilacs after flowering

Bringing beauty - that is, pruning lilacs - needs to be done wisely: remember that if you engage in this procedure too selflessly, this is fraught with the active growth of new shoots that you do not need at all - they only give the crown of the bush a sloppy appearance. IN in this case, gardeners recommend removing approximately 20% of all branches in one haircut.

What else you need to know is the lilac pruning scheme, which includes two techniques: one is necessary for removing those same branches in the crown, and the second is for trimming old inflorescences.

You must always remember that injuring the bush - making cuts that exceed 3 cm - is strictly prohibited! This risks the fact that your young or mature plant will begin to rot and then die. Unfortunately, lubricating with a special varnish will not help either: it will slightly slow down the rotting process, but will not stop it.

To understand how to prune lilacs, you need to understand that this plant is grown either as a shrub or as a standard tree. Therefore, to the question of how to prune lilacs after flowering, we will answer you as follows: the pruning procedure is carried out in such a way that after it the largest trunks remain in adult specimens - no more than four pieces, and the rest is carefully and neatly trimmed.

The pruning technique is to ensure that the selected branches face in different directions. In the future, the branches of the bush will certainly be refined, that is, unnecessary shoots are removed from the bottom and in the center.

This will protect the bush from any damage. And to ensure successful pruning, prune lilacs after flowering or in early spring.

Scheme for pruning lilacs after flowering (with video)

By the way, the scheme for pruning lilacs after flowering is very strict and even tough: any experienced gardener will tell you that if you remove the inflorescences late, and by “late” we mean the period of time between July and September inclusive, you can’t expect wild flowers next year. The whole point is that the nutrients will simply be spent on the formation of seeds and fruits, but not buds. Therefore, experts, knowing how to prune lilacs correctly, do this immediately after the inflorescences die.

This does not apply only to those types and varieties of lilac that are non-bearing: for example, “Lesya Ukrainka”.

If you want, you can trim even in winter, since your actions are not aimed at ensuring a lush color, but only at maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the shrub.

To carry out the procedure we described correctly, we recommend that you watch the video of pruning lilacs:

Methods of propagating lilacs and how to grow a shrub from cuttings (with video)

Lilac propagation can be carried out in several ways: seeds, cuttings, layering or grafting. Let's say right away that grafting is a technique that is only suitable for experienced gardeners.

As for other methods. For example, this method of propagating lilacs as seeds is multifunctional: firstly, it is suitable for growing various types of shrubs, and secondly, they can be used to grow seedlings suitable for grafting.

However, keep in mind that such plants are slightly slow in growth and need proper care.

By the way, with the help of shoots you can also grow a new generation of this shrub. To do this, you just need to plant the shoots. However, make sure that the mother plant has a healthy root system. This does not apply, for example, to bushes that were bred by grafting.

How to grow lilacs so that the roots are healthy and can later help increase the number of specimens for planting? The answer is simple - you should use green cuttings. They must be summer ones, since winter material will not be able to take root.

Remember that this procedure cannot be carried out with all plant varieties. Those that produce flowers from double buds are considered more or less suitable - for example, “India” or “Montaigne”.

To understand even better how to grow lilacs from cuttings, you should learn more about such a moment as the timing of their separation. Gardening experts say that it is best to carry out vegetative propagation immediately after the shoots stop growing in length. This period coincides with the plant’s vigorous flowering.

In addition, it will be favorable for cuttings if the bush from which the particles are separated for propagation is as young as possible.

You should also take note that it is better to separate the cuttings from those branches that are located in the center of the crown of the bush. They are extracted using a razor or sharp knife. By the way, if you are not too lazy, you can treat each extracted cutting with a preparation that will stimulate the process of formation of the root system.

Cuttings are most often immersed in a substrate that is breathable and has moderate humidity. Such material could be, for example, a mixture of peat and sand. The cuttings must be placed vertically in the rooting container.

This is done so that the lower buds are completely covered. Don’t forget to spray the plants after this and carefully close the greenhouse. By the way, the film that is used for covering is pulled closer to the cuttings. But then they carefully monitor that the rooting process takes place correctly: for this it is necessary to control that the water in the greenhouse does not stagnate. Therefore, the next spraying of the plant is carried out only after the previous water has dried on the leaves of the cuttings.

Remember that the roots will appear on the cuttings after about ten weeks. But this does not mean that the plant is ready for planting. In fact, cuttings with a root system that has already begun to form are moved from the greenhouse only next spring. And even better - in the fall.

Are you still a little uneasy about taking on such a responsible task? Then let's watch a video of lilac propagation, which will finally help you understand all the nuances:

Diseases and pests of lilac: photos and control methods

Lilac diseases and pests can destroy your beautifully flowering and fragrant shrubs in no time. You can fight them, and we will now tell you how to do it.

You see in the photo examples of lilac disease, which are considered very common:

Yellowed and curled leaves are evidence that the shrub lacks either nutrients or sufficient watering. The lack of elements such as magnesium, iron and zinc is most likely caused by the poor soil in which the bush grows, or due to the fact that it was planted in alkaline soil. These lilac diseases and the fight against them suggest that you will have to get an acidity indicator at your nearest store, which will help establish the level of “neutrality” of the soil and adjust it (required pH 7).

In addition, let us also feed the plant: To do this, take a solution of microelements or add wood ash or a little potassium sulfate to the root.

Unfortunately, if your bushes are infected with viruses, you may not immediately realize it. Indeed, with these types of diseases, the symptoms in plants are similar - yellowing and curling of the foliage. The only thing that can tell you is which lilac disease needs to be treated and the extent of the affected area. Most often, traces of viruses appear first on only one branch.

And now about the unpleasant. It must be said right away that it is rarely possible to save a plant from a viral disease. The fact is that the virus spreads very quickly throughout the bush system. You can try to remove only the affected shoot first, but this will not guarantee the recovery of the entire bush.

You can see an example of a lilac disease and an attempt to combat it in the photo below: as you understand, it was not possible to achieve a successful resolution of the situation:

What then do experienced gardeners suggest doing in such cases? It’s quite simple – to prevent viral diseases. This is possible when you ensure that the soil under the plant is healthy from the very beginning. Therefore, purchase planting material in special stores.

In addition, try to ensure that weeds are removed in a timely manner and tiny bushes, which are most often where viruses are concentrated, are cut off. Naturally, for carrying out all kinds of procedures - cutting, planting - use only sterile instruments. And, as we already said, do not injure the bushes.

But no matter how terrible the lilac pests are, they can and should be combated: to do this, you should use substances such as chlorophos - in particular, to destroy the moth, phthalophos - ideal for combating hawkmoth, or fozalon - a remedy which is used to treat bushes if moths have settled on them.

Types and varieties of lilac: photos, names and descriptions

To say that there are many varieties of lilacs on the planet means to say nothing. We will tell you about the most popular and beautiful varieties of this shrub. And let's start with the fact that this wonderful plant came to our region six centuries ago. He was brought from a distant country - Persia.

So, we present to your attention the most charming views lilac: in the photo you can see:

"Andenken an Ludwig Späth", distinguished by its rich purple buds, which bloom quite late,

"Tinkerbelle"- a frost-resistant shrub, very resistant to diseases and pleasing to the eye of any gardener with inflorescences in the shade of Burgundy wine.

Not inferior to the already named plants is such a variety as "Buffon", in which large flowers predominate, painted in purple undertones and exuding a divine aroma.

The magnificent "Pearl", whose buds, as you might have guessed, amaze with their pinkish-white beauty. Moreover, the shrub can reach 3 m in height.

Take a look at the photo: this variety of lilac has already been mentioned by us earlier - this is the same magnificent terry “Indiya”. Its deep purple inflorescences fill any garden with a whole range of aromas.

Another type of popular shrub has a very pretentious name - "Carpe Diem", which is translated from Latin as “Seize the moment.” The plant is characterized by frost resistance and stunning abundant early flowering of a soft blue color.

Now look carefully at the photo of the lilac variety, the description of which can be reduced to one line - best variety in the world according to UNESCO.

And what is the name of this miracle, you ask? And here it is – “Beauty of Moscow”. Huge double inflorescences, distinguished by pinkish-white undertones, fill the air with a viscous sweet aroma that is downright dizzying.

The variety is truly gigantic in size "Le Notre", whose deep purple buds turn blue at the end of flowering. The shrub can reach a height of up to 5 m! And for our temperate latitudes it is also considered very suitable - it can withstand low temperatures.

"Lucie Baltet"- this is a plant with a very rare bud color - brown-red combined with a slightly noticeable blue. In addition, it is distinguished by lush, long-lasting flowering.

Star-shaped buds are characteristic of a bush called “Mme. Antoine Buchner". Their color is striking in rich pink shades.

Another "madam" - “Mme. Casimir Perrier"- boasts fragrant, crème brûlée-colored buds that, due to their unique feature, appear double: raised petals cover the core.

Considered the most exquisite in its snow-white beauty “Mme. Lemoine". Lilac reaches medium size - up to 3 m in height.

"Michel Buchner" amazes the eye of a true connoisseur of gardening skills with amazing blue flowers. The petals have slightly pointed tips, and the center of the inflorescence is distinguished by its light tenderness.

Has a very strong aroma "Maidens Blush", which blooms quite early. The buds are colored in pinkish undertones.

This plant is truly dizzying with its species diversity! And the varieties that we have listed are just the tip of the iceberg.

Let's enjoy the photos with the names of other types of lilacs, and you will finally decide which one you want to see in your garden:

Lilac always captivates with its splendor and wonderful aroma. It is impossible to pass by such magnificence without breaking a branch to enjoy the fresh smell longer.

It’s great if such a bush is already growing on your site - you have the opportunity to admire this beauty and inhale the finest aroma, recharging yourself for the whole day in a great mood.

And if it is not yet in your garden, then it’s time to start selecting a variety and planting.

There is no need to be afraid, even if you are still a beginner gardener. This is such an unpretentious shrub that even a beginner can cope with planting and caring for it in the open ground.

And if you take into account its winter hardiness and drought resistance, you can understand that caring for lilacs is not difficult.

But, although there is nothing complicated in growing a bush and its further propagation, there are certain rules that should be followed in order to grow a healthy, fragrant bush.

Over the past 150 years, breeders around the world have developed more than 2,200 lilac hybrids. The basis for selection is, as a rule, common lilac.

Hybrids are distinguished by:

Despite these differences, the growing conditions and cultivation methods for all varieties and hybrids are almost the same.

This species is very popular among the people. But it often turns out that other varieties are also called Persian lilac. The question arises: is there really such a variety?

It turns out, yes, it really does exist. It was bred in 1640 by crossing small cut lilac with Afghan lilac. The varietal standard is currently stored in London.

The bush grows quite quickly, but cannot boast of any particular scope - its average height is 1-2 m, and this is about 1/3 lower than bushes of other varieties.

This circumstance led to the appearance of another word in the name of the variety - Dwarf Persian lilac.

However, these compact bushes have proven themselves to be excellent in small areas, adding variety to garden plantings or serving as hedges.

The yellow color of the petals is absolutely unusual for the common lilac species.

But since 1949, breeders from Holland began developing a new variety based on Marie Legraye, which they called Primrose.

Later this variety received another name - Yellow Wonder. This is the first and so far the only type of lilac in the world with such an unusual color of flowers.

Still, it was not possible to achieve a pronounced yellow color; a distinct yellowness is noticeable only on the buds.

Blooming inflorescences are cream, vanilla, waxy in color, and soon become almost white. This is due to the snow-white color of the mother variety.

Yellow lilac reaches a height of 3-3.5 m, blooms longer than other species (from mid-May to the end of June), the bush is abundantly covered with pyramidal inflorescences (up to 20 cm in length), having 2-3 tips, petals have a diameter of up to 1 .5 cm. Primrose also has a stronger aroma.

Among the Far Eastern lilacs there are also species with a similar cream color. For example, Amur lilac or Treskun.

This plant is quite powerful and tall. In the harsh climate of the Far East, this species grows in wildlife up to 20 m in height, however, in gardens the height does not exceed half, that is, it grows up to 10 m.

Amur lilac is a long-lived tree, its lifespan is about a century.

Chinese lilac was first discovered not in China, as the name suggests, but in France, in the botanical garden of Rouen, at the end of the 18th century.

The morphological characteristics of the variety have much in common with Persian lilac, so it is completely unclear where this name came from.

The only difference from the Persian is in the height of the bush; in the Chinese it reaches 6 m.

It blooms with pinkish-purple flowers, the diameter of which is about 2 cm.

The inflorescences are often formed into a complex panicle, the length of which reaches 0.6-0.8 m, and which many call the “fox tail”.

Luxurious lilac Monique Lemoine was bred as one of the last in the collection of varieties by breeders Lemoine in 1939.

The two-meter bush has a compact, upright crown, decorated with large white inflorescences with pointed petals.

These inflorescences usually have more than four corollas.

Monique Lemoine can safely be called the most terry of all white lilacs. Taras Bulba lilac is close to it in terms of terry size.

Preston lilac was obtained by crossing two types of lilac: drooping and hairy.

This hybrid received its name in honor of its creator - Canada's first female breeder Isabella Preston.

Tall (about 4 meters), strong, branched bush has increased stability in cultivation, frost resistance and is especially decorative.

Meyer lilac comes from the Olive family, which has natural and hybrid subspecies, approximately 40 names.

Lilac flowering begins in early May and ends at the end of June.

The height of the bush varies from 1.5 to 10 meters, depending on the variety, but basically it is a low-growing dwarf lilac.

Thanks to this quality, it is possible to give the bush standard form, which will add extraordinary decorativeness to your site.

Life expectancy is about 90 years.

A special feature of this variety is its unusually strong aroma.

The plant grows on any soil, tolerates a lack of moisture, and withstands frost. That is why the popularity of this lilac is so high among residents of central Russia, with a climate such as, for example, in the Moscow region.

Another valuable advantage of Meyer lilac over other species is that it blooms twice during the summer.

True, the second flowering, which occurs in the second half of August, is not so abundant, however, it is always pleasant to admire the blooming lilac in the garden at an unusual time of year.

Other varieties have the same qualities, for example, hybrid lilac Josie, Boomerang Ash.

Place and soil in the garden for planting lilacs

The drought and winter hardiness of lilacs is the envy of any shrub. However, she, like most plants, loves to bask under warm sun rays.

It can grow in the shade, but the bush will be weakened, the shoots will begin to stretch out in search of the sun, it will, of course, bloom, but not as profusely as in sunny place.

Excessively flooded and swampy places are not for her.

A large amount of water after the snow melts in the spring has a negative effect on the plant; it feels depressed, development is suspended, and even if it blooms, the flowers will be faded and underdeveloped.

Try to protect the lilacs in your dacha from drafts and strong winds. A sharp gust of wind can simply break newly planted lilac seedlings.

The best place for lilacs - not far from the fence, near the wall of some building or country house.

The plant has no special requirements for the composition of the soil; it grows safely even on poor soil. But it’s still better if the soil for lilacs is slightly alkaline.

Time to board

Planting lilacs, as well as replanting them, can be done in late summer or early autumn, but many gardeners try to plant lilacs in the spring, immediately after the snow melts, in order to do so before the buds open.

If the buds on the seedling begin to awaken, postpone planting in open ground until the end of August.

Keep in mind. Due to the fact that it is possible to miss the appropriate time for planting, purchase seedlings for planting in the spring not with an open, but with a closed root system, so that they can be successfully preserved until autumn.

You can transplant the lilac to another place in July, when the flowering period ends and the shrub goes into a dormant state.

The best time The beginning of September is considered for planting, when it is still warm enough and there is no threat of frost.

The seedling will take root well and get stronger before winter, and in the spring it will devote all its energy to its development, and not to rooting.

Planting material

Be careful when choosing planting material. First of all, pay attention to the roots, they should not be dry and brittle.

Tips for choosing seedlings (using the example of an apple tree)

Signs of a healthy root system:

elasticity;
branching;
must be at least 0.3 m in diameter.

Advice. Buy seedlings in a specialized store or nursery - this is a guarantee of the quality and health of the planting material.

When purchasing, conduct a small test to determine the viability of the seedling: bend one of the thin small roots.

If it breaks and darkens, then this plant is not worth buying, since the root is already dry.

Another test is the condition of the cortex. Lightly scratch the bark with your fingernail green color indicates that the seedling is quite viable. And brown or gray color indicates a disease of the plant, it is better not to buy it.

A healthy and strong tree should be at least 0.5 m in height and have 3-6 skeletal branches.

Lilac planting scheme

Properly prepare the area for planting: remove all weeds and dig up. Mix humus (1.5 buckets), superphosphate (2 tablespoons) and wood ash (2 cups) - this substrate is enough for one hole, you will need it during planting.

If the soil acidity is high, add another 2 cups of ash.

Carefully inspect the seedlings; there should be no damaged or dry parts of the roots.

Before you start preparing the site, place the seedlings in a bucket of water, adding a rooting preparation so that the plant can better tolerate acclimatization.

Proceed with planting in cloudy weather or in the evening:

Dig a hole. Its size depends on the fertility of the soil. If fertility is high, 0.3 m in depth is enough; on poor soil, make the size 1m x 1m.
Line the bottom of the hole with broken bricks or large pebbles - this is drainage.
Pour in the prepared substrate to form a mound.
Place the seedling on the top of the mound, straightening the roots down. Do not bury the root collar; it should protrude 3-4 cm above the ground.
Fill the hole with the excavated soil, compact it a little and water thoroughly.
Mulch the tree trunk circle.

The most optimal distance between lilac seedlings - at least three meters.

Caring for lilacs in open ground

To make the lilac bush delight you with its appearance and wonderful aroma, give it a little attention and care.

After all, only by creating good conditions for lilacs will you get what you planted them for.

Watering

If the seedling is planted in the spring, then in the first year water it more often and more, especially during the dry summer period.

But do not forget that lilac does not tolerate too much moisture.

An adult bush does not need frequent watering. But in hot, dry weather, it will appreciate regular moderate watering.

If the foliage on the bush has become dusty and has lost its decorative effect, give it a water shower; lilacs love this procedure. Of course, this should not be done during flowering.

Be sure to water the lilac in September, pouring 3 buckets of water per bush at the root. This will help her survive the harsh winter.

Top dressing

Proper and timely feeding of lilacs will ensure lush and long-lasting flowering.

In the first 3 years of life, provided that the pit was well filled with fertilizers when planting, additional fertilizing will not be required.

The only fertilizer for lilacs that can be applied after the snow melts is ammonium nitrate or urea. They contain nitrogen, which will help quickly grow green mass.

In the 4th year enter organic fertilizer. You can feed mullein infusion by diluting 1 liter of infusion in a bucket of water.

How to feed lilacs in the fall? In the autumn, it needs phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.

When you dig up the ground under the bush, throw a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate and the same amount of potassium nitrate per plant.

Liquid fertilizer is also suitable: dilute a faceted glass of ash in a bucket of water and water the bush.

Trimming

To make a lilac bush look neat and even elegant, you need to periodically trim it.

Very fast growth shoots leads to a feeling of some sloppiness and “shaggyness” when looking at the plant.

In addition, the bush thickens too much, which negatively affects its development and flowering.

All flowers will form only at the very tips of the branches, and the center of the bush will be without inflorescences.

If it is not cut out, then after 3-5 years it will go wild and the process of degeneration will begin.

Many gardeners are convinced that it is necessary to break off all flowering branches in order to ensure more lush flowering next year. This is a misconception.

By roughly breaking off branches, you put the plant into a state of stress. But pruning lilacs, done according to the rules, will bring nothing but benefits.

The formation of the crown begins only in the third year of the seedling’s life. Until this time, he is not disturbed, waiting for the skeleton to be fully formed.

The most suitable time is early spring, before sap flow begins and the buds awaken.

Identify the strongest and beautiful branches, approximately 5-7 pieces, which are equally spaced from each other. Leave them, and delete everything else without regret. Next year, cut the flowering branches by half, and also shorten the remaining shoots to 8 buds.

On a note. When carrying out formative pruning, sanitary pruning is usually also done, when all dry or damaged branches, as well as diseased shoots, are removed.

If you are forming a crown on an adult bush, then do not prune in the spring, as the plant may simply not bloom due to the resulting stress.

Do it at the final stage of flowering to prevent the bush from weakening and give it the opportunity to lay new buds.

To begin with, remove faded panicles so that the bush does not waste energy on feeding them, but directs it to young shoots.

Then shorten all long branches by 1/3.

Excess root growth should also be removed.

If you want to limit the width of the bush, remove frail and thin side shoots.

Ultimately, you will be able to admire a compact plant with a “combed” crown.

This pruning should be done regularly.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Lilac has good resistance to diseases and harmful insects. But sometimes we ourselves are to blame for lilac disease. The reason may be violations of the rules of agricultural technology, due to which the plant’s immunity is weakened.

For example, vascular wilt or fusarium is preceded by improperly selected soil and deepening of the root collar during planting.

From a lack of potassium in the soil, root rot develops and unsightly spots appear on the leaves.

Acidification of the soil, waterlogging, too much nitrogen fertilizer, wounds on the branches - all this causes rotting of the shoots.

A weakened plant can easily become infected with fungal or bacterial infections, especially if these are young bushes.

It is impossible to get rid of viral and mycoplasma diseases. There is only one way out - uproot the bush and burn it, disinfecting the area.

Help against acacia false scale insects, lilac leaf mites, leafhoppers, weevils, moths, lilac moths, hawk moths and other pests chemicals, sold at any garden center.

Lilac propagation

Lilac propagation occurs with the help of:

Seeds;
Cherenkov;
Root growth.

Each method has its own specifics, which we will discuss below.

Seeds

This method is quite labor-intensive, so it is usually not used by gardeners.

It is used in nurseries to obtain planting material from the desired variety.

The technology is very simple:

collect lilac seeds from the selected plant;
stratify them for 2 months in a damp cloth in the refrigerator;
sow them for seedlings in late autumn or early spring;
dispense into separate containers;
When it gets warmer, plant it in the ground.

Cuttings

In the summer, when the bush is still blooming, or when flowering has just ended, you need to prepare cuttings.

Find a young, non-lignified shoot located inside a bush with 2-3 nodes and cut it with an oblique cut, while the upper cut should be straight.

Remove the leaves from the lower end of the cutting and place it in water with a root-forming preparation for 15-16 hours.

Then plant it in a pot with soil, cover it with a jar, put it in the shade, not forgetting to water it periodically.

After a couple of months, when the first roots form, do regular ventilation by removing the jar.

You can plant them in open ground until August; if planting has not taken place before this time, then leave the cuttings to grow until spring.

Root shoots

This is the simplest and most reliable method of reproduction. How it's done:

Select a non-woody shoot.
Make a shallow groove.
Place the bent shoot into it so that the top remains on top of the ground.
Secure the shoot with a hairpin.
Water regularly and remove weeds near it.
Closer to autumn, separate it from the main bush and plant the finished seedling in the selected area.

To protect a young seedling from frost, cover it with a layer of pine needles or dry leaves before the onset of winter.

Creating a lilac hedge

For this purpose, a low-growing (dwarf) lilac, for example, Meyer or Amur, is best suited. Plant the bushes, maintaining an interval of 1.5 m.

Next year, young shoots of one plant need to be intertwined with the same shoots of another bush and, to be sure, tied together.

In a year or two, individual bushes will turn into a thick green mass, which you can already start cutting.

If you want to get a flowering hedge, leave the height of the bush at least 1.3-1.8 m.

Bushes 1.0-1.4 m high will not bloom.

Such a fence will protect you from prying eyes, from animals and uninvited guests entering your area, and will simply become a decoration of the garden.

We recommend you find out:

This is a genus of shrubs that is a representative of the Olive family. To date, the exact number of species included in this genus is unknown. Based on various sources, we can conclude that there are about thirty or even more. In its natural environment, lilacs can be found in the mountainous regions of the Eurasian continent.

It grows on the Balkan Peninsula, in the Southern Carpathians and the lands along the lower reaches of the Danube River. For decorative purposes, it is used as a garden shrub or to strengthen slopes that are subject to shedding or erosion.

Lilacs were brought to Europe by the ambassador of the Roman Empire from Constantinople.. This happened in the middle of the sixteenth century, since then it began to be considered European horticultural crops. Nowadays, lilacs are grown almost all over the world. In Turkey it goes by the name “lilac”, and in Austria and Germany it is called “Turkish viburnum”.

Lilac is a deciduous shrub with many trunks ranging in height from two to eight meters. The trunks can be quite thin or reach up to twenty centimeters in diameter. Young plants are covered with smooth gray-brown or gray bark. The bark of old trees most often has cracks and bumps.

The buds bloom quite early, the leaves last until the first severe frost. Their length can reach twelve centimeters. They can be whole or pinnately separate; on the shoots they are located in pairs on one node. Depending on the type of species, leaves can have different shapes:

oval;
ovoid;
elongated with a sharp tip;
heart-shaped.

The crown is painted in dark or light shades of green.

When does lilac bloom?

The inflorescences have the shape of racemes or panicles up to twenty centimeters long. They consist of a large number of small flowers, their shape resembling stars. They have a strong but pleasant aroma and can be purple, blue, white, violet, purple or Pink colour. The flowers consist of a long tubular corolla, two stamens and three to four petals.

Flowering of such an ornamental tree can begin in early April, May or June. This primarily depends on the climate of the area, the weather conditions of a particular season and the type of lilac. It is accompanied by a delicate, subtle and very pleasant aroma, so you are unlikely to miss the flowering of this wonderful plant.

Lilac fruits look like small boxes with two doors; they contain a small number of light, winged seeds.

If the place for the plant has been chosen correctly and the environmental conditions are completely satisfactory, then such a tree can live up to a hundred years. Today, lilac is very common ornamental shrub. Many gardeners and flower growers choose it to decorate their plots. Such popularity is quite justified; this tree does not require complex care and is not at all afraid of frost, which makes it a suitable ornamental plant for the climatic conditions of the middle zone and the Moscow region.

Planting lilacs in open ground

Planting lilacs in the spring is not advisable, since, unlike other shrubs, they take root better in the second half of July or August. On your site, choose a convenient place for the tree with good lighting. Keep in mind that this plant only likes moderately moist and organic-rich soils with an acidity of 5.0–7.0 pH.

When purchasing seedlings, first of all pay attention to the condition of the root system. The roots should be well developed and sufficiently branched.

Before you start planting lilacs, treat the seedlings.

Roots that are too long should be shortened. Their length should not exceed thirty centimeters.
Remove broken, dry and diseased roots.
If the shoots are very long, they will need to be trimmed.

How to plant lilacs

There should be a distance of two to three meters between planted plants, depending on the species and variety of seedlings. Before you begin planting, you will need to prepare planting holes with steep walls. If your site has good and fertile soil, it is enough to dig holes measuring fifty by fifty centimeters. If the soil has a high sand content or is very poor in nutrients, the planting holes should be made larger, since they will have to be filled with fertile substrate.

To prepare the substrate you will need the following ingredients:

twenty kilograms of compost or humus;
thirty grams of superphosphate;
three hundred grams of wood ash.

If your garden plot has fairly acidic soil, double the amount of ash.

When all the preparation comes to an end, it’s time to start planting. To plant lilac seedlings in open ground, follow the plan:

Sprinkle the bottom of the planting hole with a generous layer of drainage material. In this quality you can use broken brick, crushed stone, small pebbles, expanded clay, and crushed foam.
Place fertile soil or freshly prepared substrate in the form of a mound onto the drainage layer.
Place the seedling on the resulting hill, straighten the root system and fill the planting hole with soil or substrate. Make sure that the root collar of the plant is always three to four centimeters above the soil surface.
Water the plant generously, and when the moisture is absorbed into the soil, mulch the area near the trunk using peat or humus. The mulch layer should be at least five to seven centimeters.

How to care for lilacs

Caring for lilacs will not bring difficulties even to novice flower growers.. This is a fairly unpretentious plant that can grow on its own. In cities and towns you can often see these ownerless trees, which feel great even without human intervention and delight all passersby with their blooms every spring. But if you planted lilacs in your garden, they will still need your participation.

In the first half of summer, after the soil dries out, lilacs require abundant watering. Twenty-five to thirty liters should be spent on each bush at a time. The soil in the tree trunk requires weeding and removal weeds. It will also need to be loosened to a depth of four to seven centimeters. Three or four such procedures are enough in one season.

In August and September, the plant no longer needs frequent watering. It will only be needed during prolonged drought and a long absence of rain. In about five to six years, your small seedling, which does not require special care, will turn into a lush and strong bush.

When caring for lilacs, it should be taken into account that they need to be fed periodically. For the first two to three years, only a small amount of nitrogen should be applied as fertilizer. From the third year, the bush is fed with fifty grams of urea or seventy grams of ammonium nitrate.

Experienced gardeners recommend replacing these fertilizers with organic fertilizers. Based on observations, we can conclude that manure is much more effective on lilacs. It should be taken at the rate of one to three buckets of slurry per bush. To obtain a solution, take one part of cow dung to five parts of water and mix well. To apply such fertilizing, a shallow furrow is dug along the perimeter of the entire tree-trunk circle, no closer than half a meter before the plant, into which the resulting solution is poured.

Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied once every two to three years, thirty to thirty-five grams of potassium nitrate and thirty-five to forty grams of double superphosphate per adult bush. The granules are placed to a depth of six to eight centimeters, and then the soil is well watered.

But the best complex fertilizer for lilacs is rightfully an ash solution: two hundred grams per eight liters of water.

Transfer

Experienced gardeners always replant lilac bushes one or two years after planting. This is a mandatory procedure, since lilac very quickly absorbs all nutrients from the ground, even if you fertilize it regularly. Therefore, after two years, the soil no longer has the amount of energy and value that the plant needs for development, growth and abundant flowering.

Young bushes should be replanted at the end of spring, after the last inflorescences have faded, otherwise they simply will not be able to take root. Three-year-old plants and older are transplanted no earlier than August.

How to make a transplant correctly:

Prepare the planting holes according to the same principle as when planting seedlings.
Inspect the bush, remove all unnecessary, dry or damaged shoots and branches.
Dig around the perimeter of the crown, remove their soil along with a lump of earth.
The rolling method is perfect for transplanting this plant. Place the dug bush on an oilcloth spread on the ground and drag it to a new hole. This way you will not damage the bush and its fragile root system.
The volume of the new hole should be larger than the earthen ball, since drainage material and nutritious soil will also need to be placed in it.

Young bushes up to two years old do not need pruning. They have not yet formed “skeletal” branches. Be prepared for the fact that it will take two or three years to form the crown. This process can be started in the third year of the plant’s life.

Pruning should be done in the spring, before the buds swell and sap flow begins. To do this, mark five to seven beautiful branches located at an equal distance from each other, the rest are considered unnecessary and will need to be cut off. Root shoots should also be removed.

Next season, about half of the flowering shoots are cut off. No more than eight healthy buds should remain on each skeletal branch; the rest of the branches are cut off so as not to overload the lilac during the flowering period. At the same time as formative pruning, sanitary pruning should be carried out, that is, all improperly growing, diseased, frozen and broken shoots should be removed.

If you want to give the bush the shape of a tree, you need to prepare for this process when planting. For this, seedlings with strong and straight vertical branches are selected. It is shortened to the height of the trunk, and then, with the help of regrown shoots, five to six skeletal branches are formed, clearing the trunk and trunk circle of growth. When the standard tree is ready, you only need to thin out the crown annually to maintain the required shape.

In the spring, when the weather remains warm for a long time, the subtle aroma of lilac will begin to spread throughout your area, which is very attractive to beetles. You will have to collect them from plants manually.

During the period of active flowering, about sixty percent of flowering shoots should be cut off. This pruning is called “for a bouquet”; it is necessary for a more intensive appearance of fresh shoots and the formation of flower buds for the next season.

If you want a bouquet of flowering lilac branches to stand in water for as long as possible, cut them early in the morning and split the ends of all branches. When the flowering period comes to an end, remove all faded tassels from the plant.

Diseases and pests

From our article you learned how to properly plant lilacs in open ground and what care they need. Now you have the opportunity to decorate your garden or vegetable garden with beautifully flowering and fragrant shrubs.

Lilacs, with their unique aroma that cannot be confused with other plants, boast a reputation as one of the easiest garden shrubs to grow. Lilac adapts perfectly to a wide variety of climates, settles in gardens for decades, is frost-resistant, gas- and drought-resistant. But to call lilac a completely maintenance-free crop would be a very big mistake. After all, this shrub retains its abundance of flowers and beauty only if it is given at least minimal care.

Does lilac need care?

Lilac is a shrub with an almost impeccable reputation. It copes well with frost and urban conditions. Not afraid of dust and gas pollution, not demanding on soils, adaptable to lighting. You can even use lilacs in garden design in different ways: there is a place for this beautiful flowering shrub and in the alley, and in the hedges, and on the lawn, and in the flower bed or ridge. But lilacs are not at all one of the plants that can be “planted and forgotten.”

To admire its fragrant clouds, you need to devote time to pruning every year. And it will be impossible to achieve abundant, long-lasting flowering without watering, fertilizing, and maintaining proper soil condition. Caring for lilacs is not complicated, but consists of the minimum procedures necessary for the normal development of the shrub. There are some important rules here.

Rule 1. Watering not only after planting

Lilacs are considered so hardy that they do not require regular watering. This shrub does not need systemic procedures, but this does not mean that lilacs are not watered at all. Maintenance is not limited to the first procedure of abundant watering after planting.

Watering lilacs is carried out throughout the flowering period and in the spring during the active growth of shoots (of course, only when natural precipitation is insufficient). In the summer, after flowering, watering is carried out only on the hottest days: the plant is not afraid of drought, but it still needs to be protected from overheating.

Rule 2. Feeding depending on age

Lilacs need different approach to fertilizing immediately after planting and after reaching optimal size. These plants cannot be fed until they are completely rooted and in preparation for winter: lilacs are fed only during the period of active growth, in the first half of the season.

In the first year after planting and at a young age, lilacs do not need fertilizing. The only exception is planting in depleted soil, which simply does not have enough nutrients for normal growth. In this case, for young lilacs, two feedings are applied per year. After winter, when signs of the beginning of the growth of young branches are visible on the bush, the first feeding is carried out. And the second is carried out in mid-summer: at the end of June or beginning of July. From the second year after planting in early spring, nitrogen or organic fertilizers can be applied to any lilacs.

Adult lilacs are fed differently. From the third or fourth year Once per season (most often in early spring), 50-60 g of nitrogen fertilizers (ammonium nitrate or urea) are applied to each bush. In the summer after flowering, lilacs are fed organic fertilizers, embedding mullein solution or ash into the soil. “Autumn” fertilizing (in August-early September) is applied only once every 2-3 years, using potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (30 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers or 55-60 g of mixture).

For any lilacs, you can mix organic and mineral fertilizers. Manure is preferable for young lilacs, and humus for adults. When combined with organic matter, it is better to reduce a single portion of mineral fertilizers from 50-60 g to 30-40 g.

Lilacs are fertilized only in cloudy weather or in the evening, after watering or rain. Fertilizers can be either dissolved in water or incorporated into the soil.

Rule 3. Three types of lilac pruning

If lilacs are “simple” in some ways, it’s not in pruning. After all, this much-loved shrub requires regular cleaning and shaping. Pruning begins in the third or fourth year, when skeletal branches begin to form. And just one pruning is not enough; three types of these procedures are carried out for lilacs:

1. Basic trimming(stimulating flowering) is necessary for all types of lilacs without exception. In order for the bushes to bloom profusely next year, it is necessary to prune the faded inflorescences in time, because the flower buds of this shrub are formed only on summer shoots. The main pruning is carried out immediately after flowering, and not in the fall.

2. Anti-aging pruning. It is only necessary on adult and old lilacs. Timely rejuvenation avoids the need for radical rejuvenation and skipping flowering. For rejuvenation, thickening, excess shoots on the bushes are removed annually, forming strong skeletal branches and a healthy bush with 5 to 10 well-placed shoots.

This rejuvenation is carried out in early spring, before the buds awaken. But if, nevertheless, there is a need to carry out radical rejuvenation on old lilacs, then all shoots, without exception, are cut down to fairly low stumps, completely removing all unnecessary thickening branches. Next year the lilac will recover and if it produces inflorescences, it will only be small and single. But every year, with proper formation of the bush, the lilac will bloom more abundantly and more beautifully.

3. Formative pruning. Lilac is a predominantly landscape and picturesque shrub, and forming a crown and giving it a certain outline is used very rarely. The only exception is the removal of root shoots, weak, inward-growing, damaged, dry shoots, which is necessary for any lilac to form strong skeletal shoots.

And formation as such is carried out only in three cases:

in regular gardens, lilacs are given a more strict shape, setting a growth vector from a young age and slightly cutting off the shoots to limit the growth of the crown and give a silhouette (for example, for a spherical and umbrella-shaped crown, the lower shoots are removed and the upper shoots are thickened, etc.);
for hedges and tunnels, the tops of densely growing bushes are cut off, and the side shoots are pruned twice a year, in spring and autumn, to achieve the desired contours of the hedge;
To form a lilac into a trunk, one central skeletal shoot is left, it is regularly “cleaned” of lateral branches, and the crown is formed at the top into a “cloud,” limiting its growth.

Rule 4. Loosening the soil must be regular

To lilac long years pleased with abundant flowering and did not suffer from any weather conditions, it is necessary to maintain the soil loose, constantly renewing its air and water permeability. Without loosening the soil, lilacs will suffer from soil compaction.

The soil for lilacs is loosened 3 or 4 times per season, combining it with weeding. The first loosening is carried out in early spring. It is better to carry out aeration after heavy rainfall or watering. But it is extremely important not to overdo it: for lilacs, the soil is loosened only 4-7 cm and no deeper.

Rule 5. Mulching is very important

It is possible to simplify the care of lilacs as much as possible and achieve better moisture retention, protect the root system from overheating, and preserve the quality of the soil and its structure only if you do not forget to constantly maintain a mulch layer in the lilac tree trunk circle. The first mulching for this shrub is created during planting, or rather, after abundant watering. For lilacs, the mulch layer should be from 5 to 7 cm. Subsequently, the mulch layer is renewed and maintained constantly, updating at least 2 times a year - in spring and autumn.

It is preferable to use the following as mulching materials for lilacs:

peat;
humus;
half-rotted leaves;
compost.

For young seedlings in the first winter, it is advisable to create a new protective mulching and covering layer of leaves or peat up to 10 cm high.

Rule 6. Resilient does not mean invulnerable

Despite its reputation as an amazingly hardy shrub, lilacs suffer from both diseases and pests. Moreover, problems on healthy and strong bushes can appear both when adjacent to infected plants, and in bad seasons when care was insufficient to compensate for heat and drought. And it will be very difficult to cure lilacs if the lesion is not noticed in time. Inspect the bushes regularly, especially in the second half of the season, and notice the slightest signs of these unpleasant problems.

The most common diseases on lilacs are late blight and powdery mildew. The sooner a problem is identified, the easier it will be to deal with it. If the lilac is severely damaged, it will be difficult to cure it even with drastic pruning and regular treatments. Diseases on this shrub can be controlled with a simple Bordrosses mixture or with a variety of highly targeted fungicides.

The most common harmful insects on lilacs are leaf-eating pests and mites. Moreover, the spread of these pests leads to a rapid loss of decorativeness and practically to “baldness.” You need to fight insects with systemic insecticides: narrowly targeted products are effective, but while you are fighting one problem, other pests can settle on a weakened lilac.