Lilacs are an easy to grow plant. They need at least 6 hours of sun a day to bloom well, and prefer sun all day long in the hottest spot in your garden.

Some early bloomers such as ‘Maiden’s Blush’ (pink) and ‘Lavender Lady’ (lavender) need to mature before they bloom.

Deadheading directly after they bloom will stimulate better flowering the following year. If you don’t deadhead, they only blossom extravagantly every second year. To keep the bush tidy trim out old branches and suckers from ground level. The bush propagates primarily through ground suckers and can become a wide shrub if not maintained yearly. To prevent powdery mildew you must increase air circulation through the plant. Prune out some of the older stems in the middle of the shrub after it has finished blooming to open it up.

They are tolerant of a range of soil types. Lilacs prefer a ‘limey’ soil, unlike most of our acidic‐loving broad leaf evergreens on the west coast. Use a granular lime like Dolopril to neutralize the soil.

When the lilac is young, a balanced fertilizer like 12‐12‐12 works well.

As it matures, use more phosphorus, such as a 5‐10‐5.

Begin pruning when lilac reaches its desired height. Prune right after blooming is done. Remove all flowers plus 10‐15 inches of stem. 1/3 of the oldest stems should be cut to the ground periodically.

If you wait too long to prune, you will prune off the developing buds which are the blooms for the next year.