fertalizing lilacs?

14 years ago

hello

I would love advice about stepping up the blooming of my lilacs. I have only used compost in the past...and they are OK. But I see bushes in abandoned houses that have more blooms than mine! (I realize that these are the common lilacs of yesteryear which may be more sturdy.) I have about five different kinds. They get adequate light - although some of them not a full day, more like about 4-5 hours. Still, even the ones with more sun aren't prolific bloomers. Superphosphate? Any other ideas? I am zone 4. All bushes came from local sources, reputable nurseries.

thanks

Deborah

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Comments (7)

jean001
14 years ago
Superphosphate won't help. Any kind of fertilizer is likely to decrease bloom.

Compost is fine. Also more than 6 hours sunlight.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
shrubs do not NEED fertilizer ...

fertilizer will not make up for the lack of FULL SUN ... which for a shrub would mean NO SHADE ... close is not good enough for a good showing ...

you answered your own question actually ... seeing massive plants in full sun at abandoned homesteads.. where no one has watered or fertilized the plant in decades.. and the plants are spectacular ...

all that said... profusion of flowering is also a function of maturity .. and a young plant in shade will take longer to mature ....

your best bet would be to invest in raising the canopy of the trees.. or selective removal .. to increase sunlight

good luck

ken
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WendyB 5A/MA
14 years ago
Deborah, I hear ya... I have the same problem. I think maturity (i.e. patience LOL) might be right on. I only have one lilac and it has barely bloomed in 5-6 years I've had it. I put up with it because it makes a good clematis trellis. This year, it finally put on a decent showing. I went from a handful of blooms to several dozen. Plenty for indoor bouquets.

Mine is in an out of the way spot but it does get 6-7 hours of sun. It doesn't get much water or TLC though. last year we had a wet summer. maybe that helped. I don't recall that I fertilized it, but if I did I probably used Espoma Flower Tone. I do try to add lime periodically.
debstuart1
Original Author
14 years ago
Hmmm... so with my New Hampshire more acid soil would a little lime help these guys? I am also going to put some Spray and Grown on them after they bloom and are setting next year's buds. I am a great S and G fan but have never used it on these lilacs. We will see. I can't do anything about the sun, obviously, as I am surrounded on all sides by the White Mt National Forsest and my neighbor's trees, but I will see what I can do w. any trees which are within my control!

Deborah
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
so with my New Hampshire more acid soil would a little lime help these guys?

-------->>>

contact your county Ag office and ask how to have a soil test done for around $10 ...

and then amend the soil according to the information provided ... if its lime.. its lime ...

it is NOT proper to THROW A LITTLE LIME onto the soil.. based on speculative hearsay about the soil of your state as compared to your garden.. frankly.. that is pollution.. until it is proved it will accomplish anything ...

if there is a soil deficiency... then fertilizing is of no use.. since you are not going to make up with a spray.. what is not in the soil.. again.. just a form of pollution ...

basically .. you are pushing the envelop with what you are trying to do ... and if you want to succeed.. you have to ID every variable .... and act accordingly ... and you WILL succeed ...

but you probably will NOT succeed ... if you just try various old wives tale remedies.. and willy nilly go about it ...

focus on your goal.. ID the variables.. and get to work ...

have a great day

ken

ps: the county Ag office.. might be able to tell you the soil solution if in fact NH soil is so off the board.. without an actual soil test ... but the point is.. you will have a professional opinion as to which direction to head ... not some schmuck who live 600 miles away on the web.. wait.. thats me.. lol ... never mind ...
chuckby
14 years ago
I had the same problem. I put a 5-10-5 fertilizer on them and the following year I had a of blossoms. I was told the middle number (10) is what lilacs need.
debstuart1
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Chuck...I will surely try that...I realize that people responding to this are exasperated that I don't have them in sun, but this is just where they are. I wouldn't plant them there myself...but do want to try and help the ones I do have! I actually just put two new ones in in sunny spots, so they should be fine.

I will respond in a year and hope that like Chuck I have some increase of blooms on the old ones.

And incidentally...I do know that one shouldn't just throw fertalizer at things. Spray N Grown is a micronutrient solution sprayed in a fine mist on the leaves and I have to tell you...it has improved virtually everything I have ever used it on.

happy gardening

Deborah

fertalizing lilacs?

Comments (7)

jean001

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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fertalizing lilacs?

Comments (7)

jean001

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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WendyB 5A/MA

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debstuart1
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