Lilacs are in full bloom today so what better plant to lauch the Plant of the Week series? (These full-size beauties were photographed along the Old Westbury Gardens lilac walk.)
We're coming up on prime planting season, and my inbox is flooded with requests for plant suggestions and questions about the needs of specific plants. So I've decided to launch the Plant of the Week series, starting today.
Each week, I'll pick something I like -- or a plant you've been asking about -- and profile it here. I'll show you pictures and include care instructions, sunlight requirements and any other pertinent information.
Got a favorite plant, or need some information? Drop me a line and I'll try to cover it.
Lilacs thrive in soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, so your first course of action should be to test your soil with a simple pH test kit, which you'll find at your local garden center. You also can bring a soil sample to the Cornell Cooperative Extension office (visit cce.cornell.edu for details). If your soil is very acidic, add lime before planting.
Select a spot that will supply a minimum of six hours of full sunlight daily, away from downspouts and anywhere else where water might pool. Lilacs do not like "wet feet."
Space them according to their mature size to allow for adequate air circulation and avoid powdery mildew disease, to which they're susceptible. And don't pack them in tightly with perennials; they don't like the competition.
Early spring is the best time to plant lilacs, so you should do so as soon as possible. Dig a hole two to three times the size of the container, mix in some compost and plant at the same level they were at in the pot. Do not fertilize, but water thoroughly after planting, and see to it that they get 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water a week during the first season. Next year, you can give them a shot of 5-10-5 fertilizer in the early spring.
Click thumbnail below to get details about Syringa patula 'Miss Kim', Syringa x ‘Tinkerbelle' and Syringa microphylla ‘Superba':
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| Profiles: Favorite dwarf lilacs |
Comments (2)
Oh, how perfect! A lilac that grows to a height of 4' -- what better?
Hi Jessica,
My 'Miss Kim' isn't opened yet, can't wait until it does!
I love that Lilac walk at Old Westbury. Tomorrow I'm meeting my Mom in Manhattan and we are going to walk through Central Park for Mother's day. I've never been there at this time of year and can't wait to check out the blooms.