Hi, does anybody have an idea what type of bush this is?. It keeps growing like crazy no matter how much I trim it. It's starting to block our window, is it O.K. to prune it now in the summer?. How far down can I trim it?. How big is this thing supposed to get?.
Thanks in advance for your help, as you can tell I know nothing about gardening.[/img]
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Enlighten35
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- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:14 pm
Any idea what this bush is?
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LIcenter
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- Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:23 am
- Location: Long Island, NY Zone 7a/6b-ish
Welcome Enlighten35,
That is one gorgeous lilac bush you got there! Looking at the photos, my guess is your concern is with it blocking the window. I really don't think it will take a heavy pruning like you would like. It would have to be done in increments in cooler weather. Also if you do decide to prune at a later date, don't expect to see any flowers for a full year after the pruning is done. What I can't tell you is how much you can prune at a particular time. Too much, and you stand the risk of losing the entire bush. Hopefuly someone with more know how will chime in soon.
That is one gorgeous lilac bush you got there! Looking at the photos, my guess is your concern is with it blocking the window. I really don't think it will take a heavy pruning like you would like. It would have to be done in increments in cooler weather. Also if you do decide to prune at a later date, don't expect to see any flowers for a full year after the pruning is done. What I can't tell you is how much you can prune at a particular time. Too much, and you stand the risk of losing the entire bush. Hopefuly someone with more know how will chime in soon.
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Enlighten35
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- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 8:14 pm
Thank you LIcenter!...I finally know what I am dealing with and can do some research. You are right, my concern is the blocking of the window but just from a little searching on the internet it looks like you can trim them pretty extreme, down to 6-8". If anybody knows if I am wrong just let me know. It says you can do an extreme trim in Spring so I am guessing I am too late?.
Thanks again for the advice.
Thanks again for the advice.
Pruning Lilacs
•Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it’s critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here’s a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
•Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.
•If your lilac is old and in really bad shape, remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the rest of the old wood in year three. Another option for old lilacs is to chop the whole thing back to about 6 or 8 inches high. It sounds drastic, but lilacs are very hardy. The downside to this option is that it takes a few years to grow back. The upside is less work and more reward, as the lilac will grow back bursting with blooms.
•It must be recognized that severe pruning results in the loss of blooms for one to three years. For these reasons, a wise pruning program aims to avoid severe and drastic cuts by giving the bushes annual attention.
https://www.almanac.com/plant/lilacs
•Lilacs bloom on old wood, so it’s critical to prune in the spring right after they bloom. If you prune later in the summer, you may be removing the wood. Here’s a tip: If your lilac flower clusters are getting smaller, time to prune!
•Every year after bloom, remove any dead wood. Prune out the oldest canes (down to the ground). Remove the small suckers. Cut back weak branches to a strong shoot. Cut back tall canes to eye height.
•If your lilac is old and in really bad shape, remove one-third of the oldest canes (down to the ground) in year one, half of the remaining old wood in year two, and the rest of the old wood in year three. Another option for old lilacs is to chop the whole thing back to about 6 or 8 inches high. It sounds drastic, but lilacs are very hardy. The downside to this option is that it takes a few years to grow back. The upside is less work and more reward, as the lilac will grow back bursting with blooms.
•It must be recognized that severe pruning results in the loss of blooms for one to three years. For these reasons, a wise pruning program aims to avoid severe and drastic cuts by giving the bushes annual attention.
https://www.almanac.com/plant/lilacs