How and when to prune a lilac bush? Is it possible to break flowering branches? Rules for pruning lilacs in spring and autumn When to prune lilacs.

Pruning - important element caring for ornamental shrubs. It promotes the formation of flower buds and rejuvenation of the plant. Lilac also belongs to crops, the crown of which is desirable to constantly form. How should this manipulation be performed in spring and autumn period s and according to what scheme can be found from the article.

Why cut bushes

Everyone knows that most plants consist of aboveground and underground parts, which are completely dependent on each other. Any impact on one of them is instantly reflected in the second. Therefore, only correct pruning- a guarantee of good health of the plant as a whole.

Lilac is no exception to the general mass. Its shoots are arranged in such a way that 2 branches grow from each node. With time root system simply unable to provide the overgrown crown with nutrients, as a result of which the plant will be weak and very few buds will form on it.

For achievement decorative look regular pruning is required. Any deviation from the rules in this case will cause irreparable damage. For those gardeners who very often and thoughtlessly cut something, the bushes may die altogether.

Attention! By cutting lilacs every year and according to the existing rules established empirically, you can get bushes literally strewn with flowers over the entire height.

It should be borne in mind that lilac, like any other plant, “gets a shock” during pruning, and thick sections can rot in steady wet weather. Experts recommend to exclude top dressing during this period, and to avoid problems, lubricate all wounds with brilliant green or other suitable antiseptic.

How to prune in autumn

Pruning lilacs in the autumn is required to achieve several goals:

removal of old and damaged branches;
bush rejuvenation;
giving the shrub a beautiful shape, that is, its formation.

As usual, all these procedures are carried out in the early spring period, but they are practiced by many gardeners in the fall.

Attention! Work should be done no later than a month before stable cold weather. Otherwise, the plant will not have time to recover.

Sanitary pruning is the cutting of all shoots that have dried up or been damaged. This also includes the removal of spent inflorescences. The anti-aging procedure is recommended to be performed only from the age of 15 years of the lilac bush. It includes cutting off excess young shoots and shortening the tops. The latter is performed in order to activate the branching of lateral shoots. Lilac shaping pruning is also included in autumn care. Thanks to her, the plant is given the intended shape. For example, to get a bush in the form of a cylinder, the following scheme is required:

On a lilac that has reached 3 years old, 4-5 main shoots are left, the growth of which is directed in different directions. The rest are carefully cut to the ground. The tops of the branches left are trimmed at the same level.
For the second season, the most powerful, well-branched shoots are left. They should be at the top of the bush and point outward. The rest, thickening the crown, are removed.
Each subsequent season, the scheme is repeated until the crown takes on the intended form. In this case, neither thickening nor noticeable voids should be observed.

Such a scheme, in addition to the main purpose, will not allow the shrub to grow old.

Attention! All pruning work should be done on a cloudy day. This will help avoid sun damage to injured shoots.

In addition to the cylinder, lilac looks good in standard form. But such plants cannot be called strong. They often get sick and freeze.

How to prune lilac before flowering and during

Lilac pruning spring time mainly carried out for sanitary purposes. Remove all darkened and broken shoots during the winter. It is not recommended to thin out the lilac strongly at this time - there is a threat that the plant will “refuse” to throw out buds this season.

Formation of a lilac bush

In addition, in the spring, before bud break, old, lichen-covered branches or those that have cracked bark should be removed. Such shoots consume a lot of nutrients, while flower buds are not formed on them. Of the young shoots on the lilac, a few of the strongest are left in order to maintain the annual growth. They should grow up and not break the shape of the crown. During the flowering period of lilac, cutting of many fragrant inflorescences is allowed, with which gardeners like to decorate their homes. This procedure has a beneficial effect on the shrub.

Attention! You can not break the blooming lilac. At the site of the fracture, an ugly trace remains, into which pathogens can get.

Lilac pruning for rejuvenation

This procedure is performed on old, heavily overgrown lilac bushes. After that, be sure to water and feed the plant. Do it in early spring, at the time when the buds have not yet blossomed, according to the following scheme:

Weak and unnecessary shoots are cut to ground level.
Those branches that you decide to leave are cut 40-60 cm from the root collar.
In the spring of the next season, most of the remaining shoots are cut into a ring. At the same time, several strong branches will be obtained on each stump.

Buds on a lilac bush are formed 3 years after the start of rejuvenation.

Attention! Strong pruning of such a plan prolongs the decorativeness for only a few years. Old stumps quickly collapse and the plant dies.

Lilac is a plant that requires minimal care. Several bushes with different colors of flowers, which are pruned annually according to the rules, can become the main decoration of the entire site.

A bush of blooming lilacs is a luxurious decoration for any suburban area! At first glance, it seems that the plant does not need special care. Indeed, lilac is unpretentious, but requires some care and attention.

Correct fitlilacs

It is desirable to plant lilacs either on sunny areas or in light shade. The plant cannot be placed in the shade.

The pit for planting should be deep, with rotted loose earth. The plant does not tolerate close occurrence groundwater , so low areas are unsuitable for it. Planting lilacs is best done either in early spring, or in late summer - early autumn, September is most suitable for this. If you decide to start planting in the spring, then buy seedlings in a container so that the root system is closed. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the lilac will take root poorly or die.

After you have planted a shrub, be sure to water it. You can add any drug that stimulates root formation to the water for irrigation. It is desirable to cover the top layer of soil with hay with a layer of 6-8 cm, which will protect the soil from drying out and weeds, and then, turning into humus, will be food for lilacs.
This plant can grow in one place for a long time, sometimes all its life.

Lilac care after flowering

Lilacs need regular pruning. In the 3rd year, strong numerous shoots appear in the bush. They will later form skeletal branches.
Exactly pruning after flowering determines how well the plant will bloom.
Lilac responds favorably to fertilizers. Every spring, the bushes need to be fed with nitrogen. Top dressing from ash and organic fertilizers is well absorbed during the formation of buds, during flowering.
Phosphorus and potash fertilizers are best applied in the fall once every 2-3 years. They are placed on top of the soil under the lilac, followed by digging. This is done due to the fact that part of the root system of the shrub is located in the upper soil layer. The best fertilizer is rotted manure (horse and cow).
Remember, top dressing for lilacs is necessary, but you should not get carried away with nitrogen fertilizers, including organic ones, because of them the plant will not bloom well, it will be harder to endure frosts.

How to prune lilacs after flowering?

In early spring, select 6-10 strong shoots on the bush, which are the furthest from each other and create the outline of the plant. Cut off the rest of the branches, and cut the small, directed inward crowns completely, and shorten the stronger ones a little.
Such thinning and sanitary pruning lilacs should be carried out every spring, when the buds have already begun to grow.
Pruning is mandatory, otherwise the shoots under the faded flower brushes will weaken. Therefore, as soon as the lilac fades, it should be cut off. The sooner you do this, the better new shoots will develop and the flowering will be especially lush.

It should be borne in mind that pruning sometimes causes the shrub to bloom after a year. Lilacs are formed with secateurs, and large branches are cut down. Places of cuts must be covered with paint.
The basic principle of pruning is to remove all small branches. They do not bloom and can take a lot of strength from the plant.
If the branch has small and thin shoots, you need to remove it completely. Inflorescences must be removed immediately after flowering (only inflorescences without a branch are removed).
Never break off a shrub, this will damage the buds that will not bloom in next year.
You need to remove all the shoots, leaving only healthy shoots that will replace the old ones in the future.
To care for lilacs during flowering, you need to cut branches from abundantly flowering bushes.
After the plant has faded, all dry inflorescences must be carefully cut.
Be sure to sanitary pruning in spring and autumn with the removal of diseased and drying branches growing inside the shoot bush. Don't forget about forming pruning, at which you need to make sure that the kidneys remain.
Before you cut and put flowers in a vase, you need to know some tricks so that lush inflorescences will please you with their aroma and beauty longer:
Refresh the slant cuts by making new ones underwater with a sharp knife. The best way- knead the ends of the shoots with a hammer.
It is better to cut lilacs from young bushes than from old ones.
In the water in which there is a bouquet of lilacs, add a little citric or acetic acid (but not sugar).
To keep the inflorescences longer in the bouquet, a significant part of the leaves must be removed.

The lilac bush is unpretentious, but despite this, it looks spectacular. Anyone, even a beginner, a summer resident will cope with planting and leaving. By following the rules of planting, watering and pruning, you

Lilac, like other tree-like shrubs, needs annual crown correction. Dry shoots, withering inflorescences, skeletal branches, layering and shoots inhibit the vegetative processes inside the plant and adversely affect its general condition. In this regard, gardeners carry out annual pruning of lilacs after flowering, in autumn, and also in early spring.

Branches after flowering

You can prune garden lilacs all year round. Sanitary procedures are best planned for the spring before bud break. Before flowering, you should refrain from adjusting the height of the crown so as not to remove the flower buds. If a lot of lilac inflorescences form, some of them can be removed to prolong the flowering of the shrub.

It is not recommended to carry out more than 3 lilac haircuts per season.

Not everyone can cut lilac correctly, although it also causes certain difficulties. After perennial flowering, it is enough to remove only faded panicles so that they do not draw on themselves some of the nutrients for seed ripening. Moreover, 10% of the inflorescences are left so as not to disturb the vegetative processes of the shrub.

Shearing is carried out no later than August; trees thinned out in autumn do not bring inflorescences in the next season. You can cut lilacs in autumn only in sanitary purposes. In the period from September to November, parts of the crown affected by the fungus are removed. In this case, saving the bush from death is a priority to its fruiting.

Types of pruning before and after flowering

Flowers, trees and shrubs are calling card any area. Well-groomed plants can ennoble even the most unsightly territory. While thickened, diseased shrubs not only make the plant composition heavier, but pose a threat to other decorative and fruit crops. Regular trimming will help keep the plant from overgrowing.

There are several technologies for cleaning the bush from green mass. The choice of one of them is carried out taking into account the time of year, the age of the shrub, its condition.

Sanitary annual clean crown

The work is reduced to the release of the perennial from infected, frostbitten and shrunken branches. Dried up and dried shoots are usually removed in early spring before bud break to prevent damage to the trunks by fungi and pests. Sanitary work also includes the removal of inflorescences after flowering.

A sanitary haircut is not always tied to calendar work in the garden. In the event of an invasion of insect pests or damage to the crown by bacteria, the diseased part is cut out completely, regardless of previous work. Not to be left without blooming garden, consider roses, peonies, hydrangeas and other perennials.

Thinning crop

This is a type of haircut in which lateral shoots and layering are cut from the formed bush.

The following branches are removed from the plant:

Formative pruning in the first, second and subsequent years

When carrying out such a haircut, the desired shape and parameters are set to the bush. In park compositions, there are both bush and standard specimens of lilac. The first option is considered the most common.

The most interesting and time-consuming is the lilac haircut after transplanting into open ground. Not all gardeners know when to prune young lilacs, so the first few years the plant develops spontaneously. This approach negatively affects the growth and formation of the bush in the future.

How to prune in the first year?

Immediately after planting in open ground, all shoots longer than one and a half meters are stopped at the seedling. Shoots and layering are removed so that the plant takes root better. 1 month after planting, site owners can begin to form a crown. For development, 3-4 (bush form) or 1 (standard form) trunk are selected. The rest of the shoots are removed. On sprawling bushes leave 5-6 trunks.

If there are few branches and they are weak, then the formation of new ones can be stimulated by a short cut of growth. Shoots left as skeletal ones are shortened by 1/3, forming an attractively shaped crown.

What to plan for the second and third year?

It is necessary to cut out the growth directed inside the crown, as well as weak branches. Annual shoots are shortened to half.

Lilacs are pruned annually

Fourth and subsequent years

From 4 years to 8 years proper care for lilac, thinning will be enough for her. At 9 years old, the plant is prepared for the first anti-aging haircut.

Sometimes the top is cut off so that all the lilacs bush. In this case, no more than 1/5 of the height of the shrub is removed.

A favorable time for manipulation is spring, before the juice begins to move. In summer, you can also thin out the crown, breaking out the shoots until they are covered with wood.

Bush or stem tree?

Lilac can grow as a compact tree or a wide shrub that annually forms root shoots. If the culture is given the opportunity to develop on its own, then over time it will turn into an overgrown shrub consisting of many stems. different ages. In the center will be old stems with peeling bark. Lichens, mosses, pests readily take root on them, causing damage to the entire plant.

Another scenario is also possible - for those varieties that do not form shoots, the only trunk grows old. If timely action is not taken, the plant will grow old and die. Forming approaches should be different, in each case you will have to take into account varietal features perennial.

It makes no sense to try to form a bole from an overgrown bush, or vice versa. Approaches to formation should differ.

The initial stage of the formation of a stem tree consists in shortening an annual seedling to a height equal to the desired size of the stem, plus 3-4 pairs of developed buds. From the shoots that grow from the abandoned buds, they later form a crown according to the principle of a bush plant. In the future, it will be necessary to timely remove the branches formed below the crown.

Video about the formation of a bole from lilac.

When to start rejuvenation?

Anti-aging pruning is the cleaning of the crown in order to extend the life of the bush and improve flowering. During its implementation, the gardener selects the oldest trunks and cuts them into a stump. The renewed crown is formed from young shoots that have been selected and preserved during past cleanings of the plant. Partial anti-aging pruning consists in removing lignified skeletal branches.

Anti-aging cleaning is carried out in order to stimulate the growth of new shoots. In the next vegetative season, the plant will not bloom, as all the flowering buds of the previous year on it will be removed. Before holding a planned event, gardeners determine the presence of vaccinations. When it is detected, all parts of the plant located at the same level or below the graft are preserved.

Upon reaching the age of 12, flowering becomes scarce, the inflorescences become smaller, so it is better to start gentle rejuvenation when the shrub is 9 years old. When cutting 2-3 old shoots per season, the lilac will always look well-groomed without compromising flowering.

Do I need to prune inflorescences after wilting?

If the owner is not interested in the maturation of the seed pods, it is recommended to remove faded panicles, as they absorb a significant amount of nutrients.

When the first flowers appear on the lilac, they can be cut into bouquets. It is forbidden to break branches, as split wood is difficult to recover. Flowering next year will not be as plentiful as usual. This is explained by the fact that the shoots on which future flower buds will form are located next to the inflorescences and are destroyed along with them.

In order to cut the panicles into a bouquet without losing the flowering buds of the next year, you can cut only the brushes themselves, or the brushes together with the “slingshot” - the place of fusion of 2 inflorescences with an allowance of 5-6 cm.

Haircut rules

To work, you will need a set of garden tools:

secateurs;
gardening scissors;
penknife;
electrical tape, resin or garden pitch;
towline;
gloves.

At the initial stage, a visual diagnosis of the bush is carried out. Trunks, branches and shoots are noted, which will later be cut off. It must be remembered that more than 20% of the crown cannot be removed at a time.

What mistakes beginner gardeners make are disassembled in the video.

The first to 2/4 shorten too long branches. The cut is made at an angle of 45% and covered with garden pitch to prevent infections from penetrating under the bark. After that, the shrub is thinned out from wilted, deformed and broken branches. They are cut to the very base of the trunk. Bare places are wrapped with electrical tape or agrofibre.

When working with intertwined branches and closely spaced trunks, use a towline. With its help, parts of the crown are fixed in such a way that individual shoots do not interfere with the work of the gardener. The trunks are cut into a stump, i.e. under the very foundation, the wound is covered with garden pitch. If the volume of cut material does not exceed 15% of the total mass of the crown, gardeners begin to pinch weak branches and young shoots.

After the procedure is completed, the string is cut off, the crown takes its previous form. The cut material must be disposed of immediately. Branches thrown near the bush provoke the development of putrefactive processes.

Lilac - perennial shrub with lush bright inflorescences. Since the elegant plant is highly decorative and absolutely unpretentious in care, it can be found in almost every yard. But in order for it to turn from a familiar bush into a flower-strewn exquisite plant, it needs to be looked after not only in spring and summer, but also in autumn.

In this article, you will find answers to questions: is it necessary to cut lilacs in the fall and how to properly care for the plant.

Features of care in the fall and preparation for winter

It is very important to care for lilacs in the fall and prepare the shrub for winter. It is necessary to carry out the following activities correctly.

Watering. Lilac is not very demanding on moisture, so it tolerates long dry weather. At the same time, experts recommend periodically watering the plant in dry autumn conditions, so that the next season the perennial will please with voluminous flowering.

Top dressing. Horse manure and rotted mullein are used as fertilizers for lilacs. organic top dressing stimulate the growth of the shrub and improve its flowering. Particularly effective is the introduction of overripe horse manure, which is considered the best fertilizer for garden crops and garden plants.

You can also fertilize with an organic-based liquid mixture: mix a pre-prepared solution of manure (1:10) and mullein (1:5) in equal amounts, then add diluted slurry (1:8). Top dressing is applied under the root in an amount of 10 to 30 liters.

If there is no manure, you can use compost: 10-15 kg of the mixture is added under an adult bush.

Important! Lilacs are fed no later than 10-14 days before the onset of stable cold weather.

The plant does not like to live in an acidic environment: the shrub grows slowly and stops blooming. To reduce the acidity of the soil, the trunk circle, fenced with an earthen roller, is strewn dolomite flour, chalk, ash, crushed eggshell.

After adding the nutrient mixture, the soil is dug up: near the root neck, the shovel is deepened by 5 cm, and at a distance of half a meter from it, 10 cm.

Note! For feeding lilacs in autumn, only organic fertilizers. Mineral mixtures applied under the plant in spring or summer.

Pruning. Like all shrubs, for the purposes of normal development and abundant flowering lilac needs to be cut off. Depending on the need, shaping or rejuvenating pruning is carried out in the fall. During this or that pruning, you must carefully adhere to the technology for the implementation of the selected garden manipulation, since wrong actions can affect the abundance of flowering and the general condition of the plant.

Important! Cut lilacs in autumn certain rules, thoughtless carrying out of the procedure will negatively affect the bush.

Mulching. To prevent freezing of the soil and the death of the roots of young lilacs, the trunk circle is covered with a layer of dry organic material: straw, leaves, hay, sawdust, peat.

Shelter. Despite the fact that lilac has good cold resistance, young specimens must be protected from the cold, since the slightest freezing will slow down development and worsen flowering. The thickness of the plant shelter varies depending on climatic conditions landing region.

pruning in autumn

For any shrub, pruning is very milestone, which strengthens the plant and improves its flowering. Before you start cultivating your favorite shrub, you need to familiarize yourself with the technology of manipulation so that care does not harm, but certainly benefits. Lilac care in the fall may include pruning. But you need to do it right! Let's figure out how.

Why prune lilac

Regular pruning is necessary in order to:

the bush bloomed magnificently: regular pruning causes the laying of flower buds;
give the bush a beautiful shape;
prevent the appearance of diseases and pests, the risk of which increases many times on heavily thickened plants;
equalize the splendor of flowering of old and young branches.

When is the best time to prune lilacs - in autumn or spring

Beginners and inexperienced gardeners often wonder when it is better to prune lilacs, in spring or autumn. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to prune in March or May after the end of flowering. Manipulation stimulates the laying of flower buds, which will fully form by winter, and next season the lilac will bloom magnificently.

So is it possible to prune lilacs in autumn? It is undesirable to prune in autumn or winter: there is a high probability that, along with unnecessary branches, shoots from flower buds. If pruned in the fall incorrectly, then next year it will bloom very poorly.

Important! Pruning lilacs in the fall should be especially careful, and if there is very little or no experience in cultivating shrubs, it is better to postpone the manipulation until spring.

Video: how to properly cut lilacs in the fall.

Pruning dates for lilacs in autumn

As a rule, the timing of pruning plays an important role. And when are lilacs cut for the winter? You can prune the plant in the fall at any time. The main condition for starting the manipulation is dry and cloudy weather.

How to cut lilacs in autumn - instructions and diagram

In order to give the lilac a beautiful shape, it is necessary to regularly trim the protruding branches. And how to cut it in the fall? It is necessary to observe the following sequence of actions during the formative pruning of lilacs:

Cut off dry, diseased and damaged shoots, as well as shoots whose growth is directed to the center of the bush.
The bush is thinned out: of two closely spaced branches, only one is left.
Remove shoots growing near an adult plant.
During the second formative pruning, the skeletal branches directed to the center of the plant are cut off, and all other shoots are shortened by 1/3.
For 3-5 years from the beginning of crown formation, the same manipulations are carried out.
In subsequent years, after establishing the shape of the crown, old and diseased branches, as well as part of the branches, are cut out of the bush.

Video: a diagram of how to cut lilacs in the fall.

Important! Lilac crown formation can begin only 3 years after planting.

Pruning old lilac

To bring the old lilac back to life, it is necessary to cut the overgrown bush in the fall. Due to anti-aging pruning, young shoots will receive more moisture and nutrients, and the plant will take on a more beautiful appearance.

How to prune old lilacs in autumn? Pruning an old plant is carried out as follows:

Cut off old shoots covered with cracked bark. Even those branches on which there are live shoots are subject to removal.
If the plant needs to be given a bush shape, only 3-4 shoots are left, directed in different directions.
If you want to get a tree with a crown in the form of a ball from a sprawling bush, cut everything side shoots, and next autumn cut off part of the top. In all subsequent years of growing the trunk, the shoots that form on the trunk are cut off.
In the following seasons, after pruning, extra branches are cut out of the bush.

Video: old lilac that needs pruning.

In the photo below you can see the scheme of rejuvenating pruning of old lilacs in autumn:

Important! Regardless of the type of pruning, during the manipulation, you can remove no more than 15-20% of the branches from the original amount.

Video: lilac pruning scheme.

Care after pruning: top dressing and fertilizer

Due to the characteristics of lilac and large diameter cuts, the resulting wounds heal for a very long time. Therefore, in order to block the path inside the trunk to pathogenic bacteria, they must be treated with garden pitch.

To prepare the mixture over low heat, melt rosin and wax (1: 2) in one bowl. As soon as they acquire a liquid consistency, pour in 2 parts of the oil. After mixing thoroughly, the mixture is removed from the stove and slowly poured into cold water. Then the water is drained and the var is left to dry slightly. The resulting mixture is treated with cracked sections.

By the way! Instead of garden pitch can be used oil paint or greenery.

After trimming is completed, a multicomponent organic solution is added under the lilac (the recipe is indicated above).

Lilac shelter for the winter

An important element of caring for a plant in the fall and preparing it for winter is shelter. Warming is very important for young lilacs. Before mulching the soil, the trunk of the shrub is wiped with a rag in order to cleanse it of dead scales and accumulated dirt. To prevent diseases and pests, the cleaned wood is bleached.

Do I need to cover the lilac for the winter

Young and transplanted bushes are not yet strong enough to endure the winter cold, so they need to be insulated before winter. Otherwise, flower buds and roots located close to the surface may freeze in plants. Mature bushes are endowed with good frost resistance, so they do not need shelter.

How to properly cover a lilac for the winter

After the temperature drops to -5 C at night, the near-stem circle of the shrub is mulched with a 10 cm layer of straw, sawdust or dry leaves. As a result of a short stay in moderate frosts without shelter young plant harden and acclimatize to new weather conditions. The trunks of boles are wrapped with doubled burlap.

What are the features of preparing for winter in different regions

Depending on the climate, young lilac bushes cover in different ways. The severity of the shelter also depends on the shape of the plant: boles are more susceptible to damage by frost, and bushes - by mice.

In the middle lane (in the suburbs)

In order for the plant to overwinter well, ordinary shelter is enough for it.

In the Volga region

The plant is mulched with a 15 cm layer of spruce branches or straw or replaced with boards that are laid around the perimeter of the rhizome. If the bush is planted in a windy place, it is wrapped in dense material.

In the Urals and Siberia

The thickness of the mulch layer increases to 15-20 cm, and young bushes are wrapped with agrospan. AT northern regions lilac can damage not only severe cold, but also hungry mice. To save root collar from damage, the bush is covered with snow, and then carefully crushed. In order to protect against rodents, the trunk is tied with spruce branches.

Important! So that the lilac does not rot, the shelter must be removed immediately after a stable warming is established.

Typical fall care mistakes

Exist typical mistakes that gardeners do when caring for lilacs in the fall and preparing them for winter.

Errors include the following:

After fertilizing, the soil in the near-stem circle is dug excessively deep. Due to damage to the upper roots, the shrub forms weak shoots, and the number of buds decreases several times, and all of them are located on the most illuminated branches.
During pruning, shoots with flower buds are removed. Removing a large number of such shoots leads to liquid flowering or its complete absence.
The bush is fed with nitrogen fertilizers, which is why the plant winters poorly and forms few flowers.
After pruning, do not treat wounds. As a result of this, the plant begins to hurt, and in the case of a rainy autumn, the wood on the cuts begins to rot.

Lilac is a perennial shrub that is covered with lush, fragrant flowers in spring. To grow such beauty on your site, you need to give the plant quite a bit of attention, giving the appropriate care in the fall, and then the result will exceed all expectations.

In contact with

Lilac is unpretentious, caring for it is quite simple, and therefore this shrub grows in many regions. But here's one point in the care of the plant must not be forgotten. The cause of the death of lilacs or simply its deterioration appearance(for example, a decrease in the size of inflorescences) is too dense a crown. Therefore, timely pruning of lilacs is so important. In spring or autumn - when is it better to carry out this procedure? How to create a suitable form? How to protect the plant from possible negative consequences clippings? Let's try to understand all these issues.

Pruning before flowering

Lilac pruning can be done in different months. Each of these procedures has its own meaning.

For example, pruning before flowering (that is, in early spring, between mid-March and early April) is important for several reasons.

It leads to more intensive growth of side shoots.
It helps to leave in advance only those branches on which buds appear. So everything nutrients received by the plant will go exactly to the growth of these parts.
At this stage, it is easier to form a crown.

You need to start pruning by removing all damaged branches. If they are broken, blackened, or the branches have grown in a crooked shape, get rid of them.

You also need to cut off very old branches. They can be identified by the following features:

curved shape;
the presence of lichen on them.

But the young shoots that appeared behind last year may also be under attack. For example, if they grow in the center of the bush. They don't get sunlight, nutrients also reach in small quantities. And there is not enough room for intensive growth. They only overload the bush.

It is also better to get rid of shoots that have not survived the winter cold. They can no longer be revived.

But cutting the upper parts of the branches, shortening the bush, is not worth it during this period. After all, there are also kidneys.

Pruning after flowering

The next pruning should be done after flowering. The best time to do this is between the end of May and the middle of June.

During this pruning, the target is no longer old and damaged branches, because they are disposed of in early spring. Now you need to get rid of the inflorescences that dry out after flowering. If this is not done in time, then seeds will begin to form on them. And all the nutrients received by the plant will be transferred to them. Because of this, you may not be able to wait for re-blooming in the spring.

It is also after flowering that long branches can be shortened. Now there is nothing to worry about the emerging kidneys. After pruning, you will notice that voids are visible in the crown. There is nothing to be afraid of - by next spring they will overgrow, new shoots will form.

When is it better to prune after flowering - immediately after it ends, in spring, or can you wait until autumn? For beginner gardeners, this is a serious question. Pruning in the fall is not strictly prohibited. And if you did not have time to shorten the branches immediately after flowering, then you should do this in the autumn. But there is a risk that you cut off parts with buds already forming. For this reason, flowering in the spring may not begin at all. So it is better to prune before mid-summer.

Formative pruning

Pruning is needed not only to get rid of damaged branches. With it, you can change the shape of the lilac. Typically, such procedures begin when the bush reaches the age of three years.

Pruning must be planned in advance because it will take several years to create the shape.

In the first year, you will have to get rid of a large number of branches. Ideally, no more than four should be left. These should be the strongest and most even branches on which there is no damage. Also, they should all be directed in different directions. That is, even if there are two branches that are ideal for forming a bush, but they grow side by side and are directed in the same direction, one of them will have to be disposed of. It is also necessary to shorten the remaining branches by about half. They should all end at about the same level.
By the second year, branching will appear at the tops of the branches left. It will also have to be worked on, leaving only those forks that have become the strongest.
In the third year and beyond, you need to repeat the same actions - get rid of weak growths, maintaining the necessary shape.

In the future, you also need to control the resulting shape and prevent the formation of a large number of branches.

Stamp pruning

Another type of form is the standard one. This way you can get a small tree. First, it is more unusual and beautiful shape. Secondly, in this way you protect the bush from external influences. For example, if your lilac was chosen by a dog, because of which the lower branches constantly rot.

In the first year, immediately after planting, cut off all side branches. You need to leave only the central one, which is the strongest and strongest. During this year, remove young shoots that appear laterally on the remaining stem.
In the second year, when the lilac grows to the required height, you need to stop its growth in this direction. To do this, pinch the bush, that is, remove the top. As a result, the shoots will begin to grow to the sides. But you will have to get rid of most of the shoots, keeping no more than four of the strongest. It is these branches that will become the basis of the tree.
In the future, you need to act in the same way as with the usual formative pruning. That is, every year to process these skeletal branches, leaving the strongest growths on them, to adjust the length of the branches.

The height of the lilac for the second year should be no higher than a meter, but not less than sixty centimeters. If the lilac is too high, it will be difficult to adjust its shape. A low stem does not look very nice.

Anti-aging pruning

Over time, the lilac, which was not initially shaped and not trimmed in a timely manner, grows too much. Its branches grow in all directions, differ in length, appear a large number of old and damaged branches. Trimming the old bush will help to rejuvenate. The circuit is pretty simple.

It is also necessary to cut the bush before spring, before flowering begins. And if during the usual annual pruning it is not recommended to shorten the branches so as not to remove the emerging buds, then with anti-aging pruning you will have to do this. Yes, you will get fewer shoots. But it's really a radical pruning that will bring positive result next spring.
Before pruning, you need to clarify whether the seedling is grafted. To do this, you need to examine the trunk of the lilac. At the grafting site, you will find a change in the thickness of the trunk, as well as differences in the bark - below the grafting level, it may be of a different color or with a different pattern. You can cut such a lilac only above the vaccination site. Otherwise, it will lose its features and grow into an ordinary bush.
Very old and damaged branches must be removed without leaving stumps. Stronger specimens, which will become the basis for rejuvenated lilacs, can be cut by half or a third.
In the future, adjust the shape of the bush every year. It will take about one or two seasons to fully restore lilacs.

Section processing

After pruning, the wounds remaining at the site of cutting the branches heal over time. However, this is not such a fast process, and during the period when new shoots have not yet formed, the lilac is in danger. Damage can be especially serious after the removal of thick branches, because fully formed wounds may not heal. Viruses and fungal spores often enter these openings. A collision with them can lead to the death of the bush, which is why it is so important to process the pruning site.

After removing or shortening the branch, work the cut a little with a very sharp knife.
If moisture does not get into this area, then after about ten hours cracks form on it. This means dry upper layer, which is approximately 5 millimeters.
After that, it is necessary to process the place of the cut with a garden var.

Garden Var is special remedy, which accelerates wound healing and prevents pests from entering. It is sold in gardening stores. But you can cook it yourself. This will require three ingredients:

rosin;
wax;
vegetable oil.

For one part of rosin, two parts of wax and oil are required. Melt the rosin, add the wax. Pour the oil into the resulting liquid, mix and turn off the heat.

To prevent the mixture from stratifying, after removing from heat, pour it into water. Then drain it, leaving the var to dry. Store in closed containers.

Conclusion

An important procedure in the care of lilacs is pruning. It helps to regulate the growth of the bush by getting rid of old branches that absorb nutrients in vain. Also, with the help of cropping, you can change the shape of the lilac. You can get both a regular bush and beautiful tree. Pruning will help rejuvenate the lilac.

It is better to carry out this procedure in the spring - before flowering and after it. You can cut the lilac in the fall, but then there is a risk that it will not bloom this season.

It is extremely important to process the cut point so that the bush is not attacked by viruses.

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