Gardeners - help!

Hi, Some of you may remember that I wanted to grow lilacs in a pot because I can't plant them at my complex - well I have a beautiful Korean Dwarf plant and it's in bloom right now.

So what I think I remember is that after the blooming is done, I have to prune to keep the plant from over growing and to get ready for flowers next year. I don't want to cut off anything wrong and I'm looking for a gardener who can tell me how and where to cut my plant. I looked online for actual picture representation of the anatomy of a plant and how to prune but I can't find what I'm looking for...... I could upload a picture for someone to write on and tell me what they think...:shrug:

Key to pruning a lilac is to do it immediately after it is finished blooming, because next years flowers set very early after it blooms. For example, our lilacs bloomed in April and it would be too late to prune it now, and get flowers for next year.

You can prune it to whatever size and shape you want, keeping in mind to retain 2/3rds of the plant. If it has been finished blooming for more than a month though, you may not get flowers next year. so that is key, maybe you can get an exact time the new flowers develop by doing a search. Also, I did not check your zone, but you might want to wrap the pot for the winter to prevent root damage. You could search wintering over plants.

good luck.

I've got a plan in place for the winter and I still have flowers on my plant....

but about pruning what kind of shears do i need and how exactly do i do it?

I can't tell you exactly what to get. Just go to home depot and get a pair of pruning shears, a good pair. when you cut, you want to make the cut directly above a leaf, so you don't have a bear stick showing. Follow the shape of the plant. For a mature lilac in a yard, you cut out the old dead wood, and cut out the suckers. since you have a new plant and you want to maintain the size, just follow the shape of the plant, start at the bottom and work your way up. It is not that scary, and plants are very forgiving. you will be fine. Just cut the end 1/3 of the branch, and you can start in increments, just try to be even about it.

Do you recommend pruning just because she has grown them in a pot? In Ohio, we had lilacs every year, all over the yard, and we never pruned a thing. Ever. And we always had lilacs the following spring.

Its best to remove the spent seedheads from the lilac for improved flowering.
Do you have a place that you could sink the pot in the ground as shrubs in pots freeze sooner that the same plant planted in the ground.

In a couple of years you should transplant to larger container-it could be root pruned at that time.

If the plant is just new this year, and unless it is already too large, it is not neccessary to prune it now. You don't even have to cut off the dead flowers. It will bloom again next year, providing it survives the winter.

What is your plan for the winter? It needs the dormancy period, and moisture is important, too much and it will rot.

P>S> did you get the piano?

Hi all thanks for all the advice. I am going to sink the pot in the ground - or either build up the ground around the pot - either way I'm going to prepare it for freezing outside.

It's not that big - I just want it to basically bush out and not get too tall. So I've been removing any spent buds - when all the buds are spent on a branch do I cut off where the buds were?

I didn't get the piano yet - I'm still debating - I went to go see it again last weekend and I mean it's nice but I really could use the money elsewhere - it's not THAT beautiful....

You will see the flower stem-when its done flowering it will be turning brown and cut off within a 1/4-1/2 inch above the leaves.

If you are sinking the pot just make sure you have the hole dug before the ground freezes-I sink some plants and usually do it towards end of October.