Gardening question for GailC: Lilacs?

or anyone who can answer this.

I have 2 lilac bushes. 1 is 5yrs old, that we got from a trimming of another huge lilac. It is doing well, got lots of flowers on it this year. Partial shade as its planted against a fence.

Lilac #2, we bought about 3 yrs ago from a nursery. It is bigger now, than the other one.... full, green leaves. But it has never flowered. I can't figure out why not. Planted in full sun ( sun from lunch till the sun moves to set). One side is against my house.

I can get pics later if that would help. (I plan on getting pics anyways of my gardens to post the updates)

Oh, I found one, from when we were landscaping the deck area.

The lilac in question is on the right side of the pic, up at the house.



It is taller this year, and bushier.

Any thoughts on why it hasn't flowered?

Mine flowered but it has blight and is in horrible shape this year. The tree itself is only 3 years old.

Have you ever trimmed the lilac that has never flowered? I understand that if you trim lilacs AFTER July 4, they won't bloom the next year.

One of the main reasons I've found for lilacs not blooming is if the levels of nitrogen in the soil are too high. DO you use fertalizer around the 2nd lilac? We used to have one planted near an old chicken run and it grew huge and green but never bloomed because of the nitrogen in the soil.

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Have you ever trimmed the lilac that has never flowered? I understand that if you trim lilacs AFTER July 4, they won't bloom the next year.

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Nope, never touched it.

Originally Posted by Ms. Freya

One of the main reasons I've found for lilacs not blooming is if the levels of nitrogen in the soil are too high. DO you use fertalizer around the 2nd lilac? We used to have one planted near an old chicken run and it grew huge and green but never bloomed because of the nitrogen in the soil.

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hmmm, that is possible I suppose. Our soil is sand, so all our beds are enhanced with triple blend and peat moss. I fertalize once a year with miracle grow (via a watering can and that's it).

The plant itself looks great. Nice looking leaves, full, etc. Just no flowers. It is huge and green.... so could possibly be a nitrogen issue. It has hosta's and iris's around it that bloom.

Try putting wood ashes around the one that doesn't flower.It works wonders for them..

I concur about the fertilizing issue. Nitrogen makes for a lush leafy plant but will prvent flowering. Do you know the ph of your soil? It may be too acidic hence the addition of ashes to lower the ph. They flower best with soil ph of 4.5-7.5.

Do you have alot of suckers on the plant-remove some of the smaller ones to let the more sturdy ones to develop into flowering brances. It looks like it has alot of stems do I would remove about a third of them.

Also lilacs should be pruned after flowering as they bloom on last season's wood.