DIY, lilacs
Published on May 29, 2015
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Lilacs: How and When to Prune

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A collection of lilac florets I meticulously arranged on construction paper one night after my boys went to sleep a few years ago. There is something so soothing to me, to be able to be alone at night, after the house has reached a calm state, and to craft away with items I have collected from our daily outdoor adventures. If you would like to purchase this print and customize it with a monogram or a name, I would be glad to help you!, Just click on the photo above, and it will take you to my etsy shop, Marie Stephens Design.
A collection of lilac florets I meticulously arranged on construction paper one night after my boys went to sleep a few years ago. There is something so soothing to me, to be able to be alone at night, after the house has reached a calm state, and to craft away with items I have collected from our daily outdoor adventures. If you would like to purchase this print and customize it with a monogram or a name, I would be glad to help you!, Just click on the photo above, and it will take you to my etsy shop, Marie Stephens Design.

My public service announcement for today is:  “Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their lilacs and trim, shear, thin, and prune them. ”  Always prune your lilacs, if they need it, right after they bloom, because if you wait too long after they bloom, you will be removing next years buds.

©Marie Stephens Design 2014 This is a Korean Lilac from my garden in Iowa last spring.
©Marie Stephens Design 2014 This is a Korean Lilac from my garden in Iowa last spring.

So if it needs it, do it now!  It’s also a good idea to remove a few of the really old branches from within the center of the plant.  Below is a link to an article by Fine Gardening Magazine on how and when to prune your lilacs. How to Prune Lilacs by Fine Gardening Magazine I prefer to use bypass pruners for this kind of pruning job. This allows me to be more precise with my cuts, so that my lilac will look more natural, rather than sheared.

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