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Lilac Bush Not Blooming

By Ellen Brown
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Date: 05/04/2006 Topics: Gardening > Shrubs | Readers Request > Gardening  
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Q: I have a lilac bush that has never bloomed. I have had it for 10 years, it gets green leaves and that is all. I have cut it back as I was told to do but still don't get any blooms. Please reply with anything you think may help.

I am in zone 6

Thank-you,
JMS

A: JMS,

You can try using the process of elimination. There are five main reasons that lilacs fail to bloom: insufficient sunlight, too much nitrogen fertilizer, improper planting (planted too deeply), improper pruning (pruning at the wrong time) or winterkill of the flower buds. If you are fertilizing your bushes (or near your bushes), stop. Lilacs set their flower buds for next year on this year's growth. If you pruned them last season in late summer-say late July or August-you may have removed the flower buds for this growing season. Also, lilacs will typically not bloom the season after a harsh pruning, so you may need to wait until next year before you see flowers. If you suspect winter damage to your flower buds, you can only hope for milder winters or plant a hardier variety. Pulling some soil back from the roots will help if you think it may be planted too deeply. Lilacs need full sun to flower. You might take a sucker from your lilac bush and try growing it in a new location.

Ellen


Q: I have lilac bush a friend gave me. I planted it 9 years ago and it has never bloomed. Please help. I don't know what to do.

Hardiness Zone: 5b
Cheryl Hubbard from Missouri

A: Cheryl,

There are several reasons lilacs don't bloom. The most common problem is a lack of sunlight. In order to bloom, lilac bushes need at least 6 hours of sun per day. If your lawn (or your neighbor's lawn near your lilacs) is frequently fertilized, your lilacs may also be getting too much nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes lush foliage, while inhibiting flowering. When planted in decent soil, lilacs usually do just fine without fertilizing. If they need it, use a fertilizer with a high ratio of nitrogen (second number) and apply it in the early spring. Organic sources include bone meal and fish emulsion. Incorrect pruning is another common problem. Pruning should be done no later than mid summer (July) or you risk cutting off next years flowers. You may have also planted your lilacs too deeply. If you think this might be the case, pull back some of the soil so the tops of the roots are slightly exposed. Also, you don't mention what type of lilacs you're growing. Common lilacs need cold winters in order to set their flower buds, but these same cold winters can kill the buds of less hardy varieties. Finally, lilacs prefer slightly alkaline soil (pH 6 to 7). Having your soil tested is the only way to know whether or not it's too acidic.

Hope this helps!

Ellen

About The Author: Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com

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Post By sherry (Guest Post) (05/26/2008)
I have a lilac bush that I have had for 11 years it has never bloomed it gets direct sun at least 5 hours a day My winters are very harsh I live in Ontario Canada I have tried putting lime in the soil. I think I will try the shingles and see if that will help. thank you.

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Post By jeannie connor (Guest Post) (04/23/2008)
I have 3 lilac bushes, I live in Wilmington NC., they bloom. What I have found is they love horse poop! I have them in full sunlight, one bush really blooms the other one has little blooms, but it still blooms.

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Post By Faye (Guest Post) (06/25/2007)
I was having the same problem. I was told to dig a very narrow trench, that was about as deep as your shovel would go, in a circle around the bush so I did this and it worked!!!

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Post By Gayle (Guest Post) (06/23/2007)
many sucker shoots popping up all over. I don't remember moms lilacs doing this.

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Post By Peggy Shoulders (Guest Post) (06/05/2006)
My hybrid lilac did not set blooms this year. It's four years old and gets pruned in the fall of each year. The second one is about 40 feet away does great. I live in zone 3. I use Miracle Grow fertizer for blooming plants as directed. It gets sun from 11 am until 8 pm. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

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Post By Barbara in NJ (Guest Post) (05/16/2006)
Lilac and Climbing Hydrangea both NOT bloomers!
Lilac not full sun, but neither are roadside bushes that bloom like crazy! I heard on PBS radio, Mike Magrath THE GARDENING GUY to get Rock Phosphate.
I could only get Phosphate Plus which is 0-50-0 and plan to give it a try! (I may have mispruned?) How can you get a full rather than scraggly bush if you don't prune? I do have a FRENCH LILAC that blooms sparsely.

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Post By (Guest Post) (05/10/2006)
For three years running my two Korean lilacs are loaded with flower buds that fail to open. What's going on here?

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Post by razmataz1a (1) | (05/01/2006)
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I have the same problem with my lilac bush. My grandmother told me that it will not bloom unless there is another lilac bush near. I am not sure how "near" it needs to be. I have checked out other blooming lilac bushes and there's always another bush near by. I am not sure how true this is but grandmother has been around for 83 years and she can grow anything.

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Post By Cindy (Guest Post) (05/01/2006)
I planted three young lilac bushes almost 2 years ago when I moved into my new home. The first spring after they were planted, they all bloomed one bloom each. This year, two out of three bloomed. The two that bloomed had many flowers on them, while the third had none! What am I dont wrong? Is there something I can do to help it to bloom next year?

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Post By andrea (Guest Post) (04/29/2006)
My lilac bush bloomed the first year we planted it. For the past 2 springs All that blossomed was beautiful healthy foliage--no blooms. I was so disappointed. What am I not doing correctly. They are in direct noon and afternoon sun. I live in NY state and I've seen beautiful lilacs growing along side the road unattended. Thanks for any help.

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Post By (Guest Post) (04/24/2006)
I live in the south (South Carolina) where you can't find lilac bushes but luckily I found a Yankee landscaper from New England who had some that no one bought. He gave them to me and said to be sure and put lime around them because they need it to bloom. Well it worked because I've had beautiful blooms. I've also dumped extra azaela fertilizer around them when fertilizing those bushes.

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Post by nativegirl (13) | (04/24/2006)
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Lilacs need lots of sun, otherwise they don't bloom

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Post by ThriftyFun (3746) | (03/31/2006)
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I have a lilac bush that has never bloomed. I have had it for 10 years, it gets green leaves and that is all. I have cut it back as I was told to do but still don't get any blooms. Please reply with anything you think may help.

I am in zone 6

Thank-you,
JMS

Answers:
RE: Lilac Bush Not Blooming 03/31/2006
My lilac wouldn't bloom either until the lady at the nursery told me to clear the grass close to it and add minerals. I pulled the grass for about 6 to 8 inches around and put some old shingles to keep the grass from re-growing . The minerals made the difference. They bloom beautifully now. It is wise to fertilize before the leaves appear each spring.
By siris (Guest Post)
RE: Lilac Bush Not Blooming 04/01/2006
The way you prune is important. Lilacs bloom on the previous season's new growth. An easy way to keep track of that, once you get it started blooming, is to cut bouquets while it's in blossom. If you cut enough, you'll have next year's pruning done.
By Coreen (Guest Post)
RE: Lilac Bush Not Blooming 04/07/2006
Lilacs bloom on new wood, if you must trim them do so early in the summer so they have time to grow new wood, for next summers blooms. I have 30 year old lilacs and have never trimmed they. I do cut out large old limbs out of the center as needed.
By SUSIE JORDON (Guest Post)

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Post by ThriftyFun (3746) | (05/29/2002)
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I have successfully transplanted a shoot from my parents' lilac bush and it has grown tremendously over the past couple of years. It has never bloomed though the bush from which it comes is always loaded with blooms every year. What am I missing?

Don Lapierre

Answers:
RE: Why Won't My Lilac Bloom?
Post by las424
To my knowledge a Lilac needs to be four feet tall or roughly four "seasons" old before it will bloom. Naturally, nothing in nature is an exact science, be patient.
My Lilac's won't bloom either
Jennifer (Guest Post)
I hand pruned my lilacs four springs ago. They were scrawny, full of dead wood, and had few flowers. It is now their fourth spring. The foliage is gorgeous, most of the bushes are over four feet tall, they get afternoon sun, but there is no sign of blooms. I have been using a general plant fertilizer. I really expected to see blooms this year.

Someone told me to use 5-50-50 fertilizer, which my local hardware store doesn't carry. (Agricultural). I got some soil sweetener, which is supposed to neutralize the acid content of the soil.

The same person also told me that if you prune lilacs between the last weeks of July an Early September, you'll cut the wood where the flower buds are and they may never bloom again.

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