My mother has had a white flowering (supposedly) lilac shrub for a few years. It has actually never flowered. The leaves look quite healthy but it has been growing quite slowly. Any ideas?
Ciaran pol de Buitlear
[ Editor ]
This could be one of a number of things as follows:
- Lilac bushes should be planted where they will get 5 ot 6 hours of sun in summer. Too much or too little sun will cause them to be unhappy.
- Lilacs like a slightly alkaline soil so if you think you have an acid soil try adding some lime.
- All shrubs like to have a free root run without competition (especially from grass). Clear grass and other plants for about 3 feet around the shrub and mulch with bark, an organic compost or sheet mulch.
- Lilac flowers on buds created the year before so prune directly after flowering and at no other time of year.
- Lilacs will not flower until they are about 5 years old so be patient :-)