From the beginning of May you can smell the characteristic scent of the lilac blossoms everywhere, as the magnificently blooming shrubs and trees are in almost every garden. After flowering, however, you should use scissors to trim off the faded shoots.
The flowers should be removed so that the lilac does not form seeds
Lilac pruning is always done after flowering
To do this, remove the flowering shoots with sharp and disinfected pruning shears or rose shears directly at the base. This measure has various advantages:
- The lilac can no longer form seeds and therefore cannot self-seed.
- Instead of the seed formation, the shrub puts its energy into growth.
- Withered shoots are potential entry points for pathogens.
- If they are removed, fungi etc. also have a harder time.
Furthermore, now is the right time to carry out any necessary pruning or maintenance pruning on the lilac. So not only remove the withered shoots, but also
- overaged, diseased and dead branches
- “crosswise” growing, i. H. crisscrossing or inward growing shoots
- thin, weak shoots
- Shoots with only a few leaves.
tips
Lilac blossoms are also very suitable as cut flowers for the vase.