skip to main content

Great Lakes Gardening

eeek, will frozen budded lilacs still bloom?

17 years ago

well, with a week of below 32 degrees weather, and more cold days to come, what will happen to my lilacs? Have I lost a whole year of flowers? I was able to get my water lilies back into the garage, but I could not catch the goldfish and there is about 2" of ice in my tiny pond. I guess only time will tell, and to think I was gardening in my summer shorts and tee top, only 2 weeks ago. Can anyone remember when we had the latest snow fall in MI over the years. I know its been very cold for Memorial day-wearing winter coats while camping-usually its raining for Memorial day.

Featured Answer

seil zone 6b MI

17 years ago

I don't agree. These plants are hardier than that. Wait and see they'll bloom. My forsythia had opened it's first bloom last Tuesday when it was in the 70's and I thought it was done for. It's been down to 17 and we haven't had a high above freezing since then. The sun came out today and the temp went up to 40 and it opened a half dozen new blooms today. As long as the pond is not frozen solid and there is some free water I'll bet the fish survive too. Make sure you keep a hole broken in the ice each day to keep air flowing.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

thorngrower sw. ont. z5
17 years ago
I'm about 45 min. from detroit on the canadian side between lake st.clair and lake erie, latest snow i remember was 1982 the 1st. week of april. Exactly the same time as this. Had about 6 inches..Woke up to about 1in. this morning.Don't know what will happen to any of the flowering trees.Were lucky things weren't further along, there would be even more damage..mark
hairmetal4ever
17 years ago
My lilacs are toast in Akron, OH. Look at the bush. If the new shoots look limp and "soft" you won't be getting any blooms. They'll re-leaf, but they only get one shot a year at blooming. If they still appear more or less standing straight, even if frozen, they might survive.
Related Discussions
Do frozen rose buds ever open?
Q
Comments (8)
Sherry, I saw pictures of the Florida freeze, and thought about you. Have you had much damage? It has been terrible here in Oklahoma, and I am not sure what the results will be in the spring, but ours had gone dormant or at least were prepared for the cold. They were not prepared for below zero, but were prepared. Florida seemed to be hard hit. I hope your garden is ok. Sammy
...See More
Michigan Lilac blooms
Q
Comments (1)
what you think MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FROST .... may have actually been a freeze ... only affecting certain plants... welcome to MI .. lol ... if you dont like the weather.. wait a few minutes.. it will change... i had a few nights.. where they predicted frost or freeze.. saw nothing on the lawn the next morn .. a fair indication of such .. normally ... 4 to 6 weeks later.. i have one mock orange on 5 acres with deadish branches ... gotta figure .... somehow it had been hit by something ... no bugs or disease present now ... go figure... cant really understand why one bush.. over the whole garden ... weird .. such are the mysteries of gardening .... ken
...See More
Bloomerang Lilac - sparse blooms
Q
Comments (13)
most likely.. the year after a transplant.. will be lesser flowers ... you cut off most of its roots ... it should not be a surprise ... the new spot will be better than the old spot just because of more sun ... but you may need to water it more.. next year.. because of the move ... but if in the heat of the summer the leaves get ugly.. dont freak out... it just might not have the root mass to thrive ... so give it more water ... and another year .... that it bloomed in the old spot suggests.. the light wasnt all that weak ... i had a dwarf L.. palladin i believe.. and it took about 5 years.. for the plant to get mature enough.. to have a good flower show ... especially on the repeat bloom ... and by that time.. the plant was about 3 times the size of yours ... in other words... maturity made it look better ... the bigger plant.. just appeared to have more flowers .. if that makes sense ... i dont know if proportionally it really had more flowers.. or if it just looked better ... this is a flowering shrub.. not a perennial.. so the expectation is in years.. not seasons ... 3 years might not have been enough years .. for peak performance ... all that said.. if it doesnt get its act together.. and you just dont have the sun ... just get rid of it ... lifes too short to be disappointed by a plant in your garden ... ken
...See More
Madame Lemoine Lilac question. (It bloomed for the first time today!!)
Q
Comments (1)
oh my .. ive been wondering about you ... how are things going out there in your slice of eden ???..how about a pic or two?? and what happened to all those prior projects .. is your DH still penning in all your plants ??? and what about the crazy dudes next door ... so many questions.. so little time... ken oh:... lol.. your actual question .... lilac buds are there in fall ... they can be hit by late fast early freezes.. or wonky spring weather.. though if they make it thru a z5 winter... spring problems usually dont occur ... hard drought last summer might impact bud development ... when i see a weird distribution of flowers ... i wonder about snow cover depth.. or if mild.. lack of it.. whipping winter winds at ground level.. etc ... its hard to figure it out .. but for sure.. with the mildest winter in a few years.. in my MI .. i had one of the poorest flower shows in years .. i have no clue why ... but im not worried about the plants .. there is always next year
...See More
hairmetal4ever
17 years ago
Lilacs are different though - unlike forsythias, who have THOUSANDS of little flower buds all over, some opening before others, lilacs have 2 - 4 per twig and they expand pretty much at the same time. If they're toast, they're toast.
madpotter
17 years ago
just came in before the rain hits and the miss kim lilacs look good.....
however the azeleas are so very burnt......... along with my acanthus....
bummer of a spring. Enjoyed my magnolia for about 5 minutes.
yours in dirt......
hairmetal4ever
17 years ago
Actually, the lilacs look OK here. THe leaves have brown edges, but the growth tips survived and with the last few days near 80, have grown a few new "whorls" of leaves that look fine - the flower stalks also appear to be expanding and still colored well, so we might luck out.
chrismich250
Original Author
17 years ago
well, my lilacs took fine too. even the short 18" babies that I transplanted last summer are going to bloom. God is generous to us all.
jgreen8520
17 years ago
Mine seem to be doing ok, this time. I have had them freeze before though and I was sure that mine were toast also. Here in northwestern lower michigan, it got down to 23 and stayed there for a week but they are growing and the buds look good. I'm totally amazed.
diggerb2
16 years ago
mine bloomed too, but its in the shade until about noon
diggerb

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Let Lilac Love Flower This Spring

By Alison Hodgson

Whatever you bestow or receive for Mother's Day, lilacs can be an unmatched gift in the garden in May

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Spring Blossoms Burst Into the Big City

By Living Small: City & Small Space Consulting

Warm weather has lured busloads of gorgeous flowers to New York, from shy buds to full-blown blooms

WINTER GARDENING Inspiring Winter Scenes From the Denver Botanic Gardens

Use seed heads, bare branches and grasses to design lovely garden displays when the ground is frozen

WINTER GARDENING Pruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses

By Annie Thornton

Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape

WINTER GARDENING 6 Flowers for Gorgeous Winter Garden Color

Blooming beauties can be yours from January through March — just take your pick from these bulbs, shrubs and even a tree

GREAT LAKES GARDENING Great Lakes Gardener's November Checklist

By Barbara Pintozzi

So many seed heads and berries to admire as you prepare for winter and prep bulbs for forced indoor blooming

0

WINTER GARDENING Great Design Plant: Gold Collection Hellebores Perform Like Stars

Exciting colors, longer bloom times, forward-facing flowers ... These hybrids leave old hellebores in the dust

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Flowers That Dazzle With Fall Color

By J. Peterson Garden Design

From flaming orange to supersaturated purple, these blooming beauties will set your fall garden ablaze with vivid hues

WINTER GARDENING California Gardener's January Checklist

Winter-defying blooms and pruning saws earn a cheer, while California-focused gardening design books get a well-deserved shout-out

Sponsored

Frasure Home Improvements

2 Reviews

Franklin County's Highly Skilled General Contractor

More Discussions

Rain Garden Class (Amy)

9

Rain Garden Class

0

Master Rain Gardener Class Wk 1 (Andrea)

2

Master Rain Gardener

0