Lilac Care and Planting Tips

Lilac is now widely cultivated throughout the country. It has strong sprouting ability and is resistant to pruning. There are many varieties of lilacs, including purple lilac, lotus lilac, Beijing lilac, small-leaf lilac, European lilac, variegated lilac, and assorted lilacs. Let’s learn some tips on how to care for and grow lilac.

1. Breeding Methods

There are many ways to propagate lilac, including sowing, cuttings, and grafting.

Seed propagation is usually carried out between September and October. Before the capsule cracks, it is cut off together with the fruit branch, spread out to dry, and then hit with a wooden stick to make the capsule crack and take out the seeds. After removing impurities, the seeds need to be dried and stored. Before sowing in spring, soak the seeds in water for a day, then mix them with fine sand and pile them in a warm place to promote germination. About a week later, sow the seeds in the seedbed in rows, cover with 1 cm of soil after sowing, and keep the soil moist. After the seedlings emerge, management work such as thinning, weeding, fertilizing and watering should be carried out until the seedlings are divided and transplanted in the spring of the following year.

Cutting propagation usually uses softwood cuttings, and the best time is July to August. After preparing the cutting bed, select strong semi-lignified branches of the current year as cuttings, cut them into 15 to 20 cm long, soak the base of the cuttings in a 50ppm solution of ABT rooting powder for 2 to 3 hours, then carry out cuttings, cover with plastic film to keep moist, and build a shade shed to maintain a humid environment. The surviving seedlings will be transplanted in the spring of the second year.

If you want to cultivate lilac into a tree- like shape, you can use the grafting method to shorten the cultivation time. The rootstock selected for grafting should be a variety that grows tall and has a well-developed root system. If planted in wetlands, the moisture-resistant characteristics of the rootstock should be utilized. Ligustrum lucidum or Polygonum multiflorum can be selected as the rootstock, but the affinity of Ligustrum lucidum is relatively poor. The grafting method can be bud grafting or branch grafting. Bud grafting is to select full buds on the strong branches of the current year in summer and use the "T" bud grafting method. Branch grafting is carried out before budding in spring, and the scion is collected in winter and used in spring. Cleft grafting or cut grafting are both feasible methods. After successful grafting, the suckers on the rootstock should be removed in time.

2. Cultivation and management

Management of cultivated lilacs is relatively simple. Because of its well-developed root system and numerous fibrous roots, it has a strong absorption capacity. In the spring in the north, the climate is usually dry, and this is the time when lilacs bloom and sprout, so they should be watered once when they sprout and before and after flowering. Lilac is not tolerant to fertilizer and should not be fertilized frequently. You can apply compost once every other year in winter to supplement soil nutrients. When planting large seedlings, heavy pruning should be carried out before planting to reduce transpiration. After they survive, they can quickly grow strong branches, making the crown full and blooming lush flowers in the second year.

In conclusion, growing lilacs thrives best in fertile, moist, well-drained, neutral soil. Planting in low-lying areas prone to waterlogging should be avoided, as prolonged waterlogging can cause plant death. Lilac has a strong ability to sprout and is resistant to pruning.