Great video. You answered all of my questions. We moved into a new place with older trees and some are getting very tall, but not bushy. I'm going to get out there and prune. There's about 5 bushes in a row
Very helpful ! Bob, you just saved my white lilac shrub! It's about 6 years old and has never been pruned and yes, the flowers are getting smaller. We also lost about 1/4 of the lilac two winters ago after a few "polar vortexes" . I was going to have hubby dig it up (and replace it, of course), but you've given me hope that it can be saved! Thank you for your video.
Thanks this was helpful. I have two "trees" like you said are all flowers at the top. I am guessing to do your method I need to slowly start removing the big thick over grown branches to allow more light to the lower potion of the lilac tree. I would guess some are at least two inches thick. I would venture a guess that both plants are at least 8 ft tall and bending way over. Luckily there isn't any dead wood on either but I haven't done much with either over the years. Thanks again. Tim
Hi Bob, great video, thanks for the tips. I have a large unkempt lilac in the front yard that is in desperate need of a heavy prune. Is it ok to do this in the late summer or early fall? I hope all is well with you.
Excellent video Thank you! -maybe a bit slow for me but i guess some beginners will appreciate the pace, to consider each piece of information...+ people really need to chill out anyway! ...i know you know this so i wonder why you don't use anvil pruners & loppers for dead wood -so's not to dull the blades of the bypass tools faster than necessary. i use an anvil pruner quite a lot. it's a quicker, easier cut for dead branches also, and i've never had to sharpen any of my anvil pruners or my anvil lopper in several years now. i'm sure that if i used my bypass tools for everything i'd have to sharpen them much more often.
Helpful video, thanks. We bought a house that came with two larger lilacs, trees really, along the inside of our back yard fence. I actually like no low growth and I like the taller, tree look. I do get some sprouts at the ground level that I just clip off. I will likely do some pruning to keep the lilacs from getting too high and keep them at least within 6' step ladder reach. Question: The lower parts don't get much sunlight as the fence blocks it, the lower branches tend to get moss growth. I brush and pull it off with my hands. Is the moss bad for the these lower branches or trunk of the lilac?
I don’t ever remember my grandmas trees getting that many stalks../ suckers …seems like hers 😢 hard 4/5 My grandmother’s purple lilac trees only had 4 to 5 tree branches she didn’t get all those suckers like I see on your tree …is there different trees that grow differently …that are of the lilac Family
I have two stems and it’s tall, how do I make it shorter without killing it, I gave this lilac bush to my mom it was her last Mother’s Day gift, I removed it and moved it up to my house, I just moved it again to the deck area, bc my grandsons dog goes out there I was afraid he’d kill it.
