How do I encourage Lilacs and Hedge roses to sucker?

18 years ago

What about the grass? And if I kill the grass around the roses and lilacs with round-up or a vegatation killer, won't I kill the roses and lilacs from growing there too? Do I mulch it, and with what, and how deep? TIA Brenda

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

dentaybow
18 years ago
Both have to be a suckering type. Many lilacs are now sold that do not sucker and there is not much you can do to make them do so. The common lilac types will sucker with impunity and there would be no need to remove the grass/sod. Do you know what kind of roses and lilacs you have?

I would not use a vegetation killer so close to the shrubs. Too much chance of injury to the 'good guys'. Could try digging out the sod around them, replacing the sod with a good soil and then mulch lightly with grass clippings or whatever you happen to have.

If the lilacs are not the suckering kind, try to propogate them by bending a lower branch down and anchoring it firmly in the soil. Water it occasionally. It will root and next year you can separate it from the main plant.

Jan
leaveswave
18 years ago
Prune a few (up to 25-30%, less is okay too) of the branches as close to the ground as you can without damaging nearby ones. Best wishes with your project.
Related Discussions
Does Frau Dagmar sucker..and how much does she sucker?
Q
Comments (6)
My Marie Bugnet doesn't sucker but Frau Dagmar is a suckering fool. She suckers out into the lawn and comes up in cracks in our asphalt street. I dug up 15 from one bush this year and could do it again. Yes Henry Hudson does too but not quite as bad. The pavement series of rugosas sucker quite a bit also. Would I plant them as a hedge across the front of my yard? No!!! Frau Dagmar is taller than Marie in my yard when mature. It would look good the first year but soon you'd be fighting the suckers. The first thing I'd do would be to prepare the beds for next spring's planting. Unless you're going to remove those trees that shade the rest of your roses, I'd move them to the new beds so they at least get morning sunlight. Otherwise, except for the few that do get sunlight, you're going to lose the rest to shade or ground ivy. If kept deadheaded and pruned they should fill out and would make a nice show from the street. Have you raised them out of the holes yet?
...See More
I need rose ideas for a tall Hedge Zn 5 please
Q
Comments (18)
I am with Rugosa. Being in zone 6 if we get a repeat bloom worth noting we consider it a miracle. But we have a no-name Rugosa hedge that never disappoints when in bloom, and because it suckers, continuously rejuvenates. Many times we have contemplated replacing it with more "proper" roses, -but we never do. There is something magical about a Rugosa hedge, and roses don't get any easier than Rugosa! Before: After:
...See More
Wanted: Lilac suckers/cuttings
Q
Comments (1)
I am not sure what "variety" of lilac we have growing crazy all over our yard. But I can certainly take cutting. They are light purple. I have white too but I can't for the life of me remember which is which since I didn't plant them.i can certainly send you some cuttings if you don't want them already rooted. I may even have some suckers I can dig up if my husband hasn't chopped them down. I would be happy to take epiphyllum cuttings. Or if you want to pay for postage that's fine too. I just admitted to Jana that I've never done that before so I'm not actually sure how much to tell you for the postage ?
...See More
How much does the GORGEOUS, FRAGRANT Barden rose Nightmoss sucker?
Q
Comments (10)
Thanks, Sheila! You grow so many wonderful roses!! I adore my Nuits, too. I can see exactly why Paul bred Nuits and TS. My Nightmoss is several years older than Nuits and in a larger pot, but Nuits has been suckering pretty much since its infancy. Nuits is even sending stolons through the drainage holes of its upsized pot! Nightmoss, on the other hand hasn’t suckered at all. It’s just a tidy 5 gallon rose. My TS is in a bed of amended clay and is around 15 years old. It suckers in the vicinty of the mother plant, and every year, I slice some babies and make more roses. I got sidetracked when Nightmoss bloomed this year and missed my photo opportunity, darn it! Nm’s bloom coincides with the end of my daughter’s school year and the prep for summer school. I’ll see if I have some accessible shots from years past. Nm is a beauty! If you don’t grow this Barden rose yet, you should definitely consider it. It’s fantastically fragrant and so dark and beautiful! Thank you again for posting your enabling photos of Dakota Redwing! Mine has been offering lots of magnificent, intensely perfumed, red velvet blooms for such a small plant. I can hardly wait to move it out of my driveway nursery and into a decorative pot in the garden! After temps cool down from 113! 😱 Carol
...See More
jel48
18 years ago
Wish I could have sent you some of my lilac suckers mom_105. I spent a couple hours this morning cutting them off... blistered one of my fingers really good! Yes, I know I should have worn gloves. My husband tells me that every time this happens to me :-) I have no idea what variety my lilacs are. The house was 6-7 years old when DH bought it and I suspect they were put in when it was new as they are pretty large. I suppose they must be one of the old-fashioned varieties. Good luck with getting yours to propagate! I hope one of the suggestions above will work well for you.

Related Stories

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

Full Story

130

GARDENING GUIDES What Kind of Roses Should You Grow?

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Want to add the beauty of roses to your garden? Find out which ones, from old-fashioned to modern, are right for you

Full Story

104

GARDENING GUIDES Roses: Crowning Touch of Gardens

By Amy Renea

Whether you're the Miss or Mister America of gardening or take a hands-off approach, roses can be a winning addition to your landscape

Full Story

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Touches of Grandness for the Garden

By Laura Gaskill

You don’t need a king-size yard to add a little formality to your landscape with fanciful hedges, topiaries and paths

Full Story

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Easterners: Consider This Native Alternative to Boxwood

By Curtis Adams

Inkberry, or Ilex glabra, excels as a foundation plant or formal hedge perfectly suited to the East Coast

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Rosa Banksiae a Low-Maintenance Beauty

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

This thornless, disease- and insect-resistant rose brings showers of white or yellow flowers to the spring garden

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Rosa Californica

By Debbie Ballentine

Plant California wild rose for easy care and a touch of romance in your native garden

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Steps to Creating Your Butterfly Garden

By Debbie Ballentine

Encourage these fanciful winged beauties to visit your garden while helping restore their fragmented habitat

Full Story

LIFE True Confessions of a House Stalker

By Alison Hodgson

Letting go when a new owner dares to change a beloved house's look can be downright difficult. Has this ever happened to you?

Full Story

116

GARDENING GUIDES California Gardener's June Checklist

By Bill Marken

Update your hydrangeas, catch up on tomatoes and more ways to enjoy your California garden in June

Full Story

How do I encourage Lilacs and Hedge roses to sucker?

Comments (3)

dentaybow

leaveswave

Related Discussions

jel48

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US